Silence and Cigarette Smoke
by BloodySabbath44
Summary: Nothing in Lucy Hearfilia's life had ever felt comparable to the excruciating twinge her lungs were currently experiencing. Shuddering in her chest, begging for a sliver of relief. The soles of her feet were raw, split and bloody. No doubt leaving a trail of unforgiving red in her wake. Never had she run so far, the reaper lapping seductively at her heels...
1. Prolog: Wings Of A Guardian Dragon

_I had such a hard time writing this chapter, I just had no idea how I wanted to start off this story. It's pretty short, I expect the next chapters to be much longer, this is more so for back story purposes. I really hope you like it. Feedback is __**Greatly Appreciated**__!_

_I don't own Fairy Tail. All rights reserved to Hiro Mashima. _

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_785_

Nothing in Lucy Hearfilia's life had ever felt comparable to the excruciating twinge her lungs were currently experiencing. Shuddering in her chest, begging for a sliver of relief. The soles of her feet were raw, split and bloody. No doubt leaving a trail of unforgiving red in her wake. Never had she run so far, the reaper lapping seductively at her heels. The comfort of the town's protective stone walls growing farther with every step, leaving her hopelessly lost in the rather daunting forest crowning the edge of the county. Not that finding her barrings would be worth anything if she couldn't outrun the overly persistent officers shredding apart her shadow. The ferocious sound of metal horse shoe's connecting with the rocky earth eating away at the quiet of the evening. The chances of slipping away from trained men on horseback were less than slim, but she couldn't bring herself to stop pressing her heels against the dirt. The thought of rotting away, hidden under the cold earth was grotesque, to say the least. Death being a frosted window she couldn't peer through, she could only distinguish terror at the uncertainty. Her energy was growing as thin as the forest around her, a murky clearing fast approaching. Panic began to bubble through her chest as she watched the shrubbery dissipate. Her cover in the branches would be lost, they would spot her instantly, thus ending their little game of cat and mouse. The last nail of her coffin, scorching down from the heavens. She supposed she should be grateful that she got as much time as she did, it was only a matter of time until fate would have caught up with her. Only she had hoped for a little longer. Hoping to eventually earn a life worth living, something beyond the aged brick of ally ways and cheaply rented rooms.

The clearing was vast, shades of green mixed with the unusual appearance of sakura trees. It would have been rather breathtaking if she had any oxygen left donate. She glanced over her shoulder, watching as the officers began streaming through the trees and into the void space. Lucy screeched and reared forward, sprinting with the last ounce of her strength. They were fast, encroaching on her like a swarm of starving vultures to prey. Howling with pleasure at the sight of their feast. The unmistakable whip of an arrow snaked by her head, leaving a gash embedded into her left cheek. She whimpered at the sting, swallowing the cry that crept up her throat. Another thwak emits from the taut string of a bow, metal connecting with the flesh of her calf. A piercing shock pulses through her skin, causing her to plummet towards the rocky earth. Her wrist emitting a sickening crack with the ground. She wailed pathetically, pulling her shambled body into more of a sitting position, trying to hold herself together. Her eyes darting towards her leg, assessing the damage. It hadn't pierced through the front of her shin, arrowhead lost somewhere between muscle and bone. Using her good hand she tore the serrated metal from her skin with a revolting squelching sound that split through the vast emptiness. She cried in desperation, holding her injuries as the foul men approached. Five heavily ironclad officers surrounded her, the moonlight glinting off their numerous badges. Their faces all masked by the royal guards' signature helmets. Silver and engraved with the crown's unique seal. The man she assumed to be the captain dismounted his horse first, removing his helmet to reveal a shaggily cut mop of brown hair. His eyes a shade of hideous green that matched the rotting mirth of his teeth. His cracked lips curling into a cruel smirk that succeeded in flipping her stomach. He crouched low, his gaze matching hers before trailing over her figure.

"I believe you owe us some compensation for all the trouble you've caused little Miss." His voice was shrill and dripped with freezing intrigue. "The King has all kinds of folk out searching for you, even after all these years. Really makes a man wonder what makes you so special?" He leaned closer, folding his fingers around the delicate edge of her chin. "A nameless woman with hair that could rival that of real gold. Reminds me a lot of our dearly departed princess." He continued, eyes in a focused search for any reaction she could sprout at his pointed words. "I always found it fascinating that her execution wasn't public like that of her worthless mothers. After all the King's ravings about purging the enchanted blood from the royal line, one might think he would have paraded her corpse as a trophy to pair with his Queen's." Lucy could feel the beat of her heart thrumming against her ribcage, rage at the blatant disrespect for her Mother clouding her judgment. She pulled her lips back in a half-hearted sneer before spitting into his face.

"Queen Layla was the best ruler this kingdom has ever throned, and all of you were so entertained by your sick sense of ethnocentrism you failed to see just how much she truly loved her people." She drawled, keeping the disgusted expression plastered across her features.

His smirk twisted into a gloating rage, eyes sharp in a glare. He reached a leather-gloved hand forward, grasping a thick handful of her golden locks. Lucy wailed as he pulled her forward with a cackle, her face stopping mere inches from his groin. Her bloody leg dragging across the rocks heavily. The other men began to liven up, sick laughter and snide comments filling her ears. She tried to squirm out of his grasp but he overpowered her easily, his laughter building with every shift, growing into hysteria."I suppose spitfire is a good name for you." He leered, tightening his grip around the dirty strands of her hair. "Not many can say they've had their way with a princess, what a lucky day indeed." Another man approached from the side, shooting his heavily booted foot forward to strike the side of her stomach. The air in her lungs slipped past her lips forcefully. She tried to regain her composure but the man wasted no time in continuing his assault, straining forward to tear the remains of her gown away, leaving only her structured slip.

"Oh captain, I hope you plan on sharing." The second man leered, excited eye's bouncing around his skull as he took her figure in. He shoved his gloved fingers between her lips, prying her mouth open as the captain began to unclasp the metal fastening of his uniformed bottoms. Lucy clenched her eyes shut, holding back the bile swarming her throat. This is not how she pictured going out, violated and broken. Hot tears stung the pale skin of her cheek. She tried to clear her mind, focusing on anything but the reality that was about to be forced upon her. The greedy fingers that tore at the skin of her cheek twitched and without a moments thought Lucy bit down with all the force she could muster."You bitch!" The man squealed like a lost child, flinging her head back as he forcibly removed her fingers. She peeled her eyelids back, only to be met with a metal-clad knee connecting with her vision. Only the gods would ever understand how comforting the blackness that melted over her was.

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The world she awoke too was nothing like the world she had closed her eyes on. The earth twisted and warped by demanding flames. The once beautiful clearing masked by a thick layer of black smoke, eating away at the sky. All the stars hiding in terror behind the blackness of the galaxy. She couldn't move, frozen in time. Her vision a compilation of stop-motion images. The air around her twisting violently out of lungs reach. There was no pain and despite the conjuring of hell around her, she felt almost content. Letting the earth swallow her. Her head lulled to the side, taking in the remains of the ashy coffin around her. A shadowed figure obstructing her view of the scorched sakura trees. Movement's fluid as he approached her, kneeling at her side. A deep navy cloak washed over his shoulders, a lazily folded hood capped over his collar bones. Her eyes trailed over him, trying to distinguish if he was real or a figment of her disheveled mind. Lucy had never seen something put together so carefully, so beautifully. His skin was a deep tan that matched nothing of the town's folk she was usually surrounded by. It melted over the sharp features of his face, dripping gracefully under his overly defined jaw. A wash of pink atop his head, blending with the blossoms of the tree line. And god, the most mesmerizing onyx eyes captured her soul, gleaming against the firelight. Eyes that could only be that of an angel, for no human soul would ever be deserving of them. Her fingers shot up, grasping the face above her, a disturbing gasp tearing from her chest. Surely the lack of oxygen was meddling with her mind, but she tried to ignore the thought. Focusing only on the man that was now clumsily stringing her against his chest. His perfectly sculpted lips were moving slowly, whispering against her cheek. She couldn't make out any words, but it was comforting none the less.

"An angel...?" She felt her lips mumble. She truly must be dead, a god sent from the heavens to retrieve her. His chest shuddered underneath her amusingly. Was he laughing her? Her mind working tirelessly to find an explanation for what was tumbling around her. Surely he couldn't be real. No real human had ever been graced by the stars in such a way. She couldn't concentrate, the heaving of her chest far too distracting, as it continued to beg for air. His arms were rigged yet gentle against her frame, holding her securely as he pushed forward through the raging sea of red and orange. His movements were hard to distinguish through her dazed state but she was almost certain the flames were parting for him, leaving an ash-glazed path for them to pass through. She shifted in his arms slightly, causing the man to tense against her. She rested her head against the hard planes of his chest, an uncomfortable pounding working its way to the front of her skull. She let her eyes fawn upwards, trying to concentrate on the focused expression the man was wearing above her. Black was seeping into the sides of her vision and despite her best efforts it was becoming extremely difficult to make out the delicate features of his face. She hummed out an exhale of disappointment eyes shifting upwards, not wanting to retreat into a sleeping state. His neck moved rigidly, sparing a glance down towards her, noting that she seemed too pre-occupied with the sky over his head. And she was, mesmerized by the flames cascading out behind him. Figurative wings blistering against his back. An angel of death carrying her off into the shadows of the night. There was no fear looming through her, her mind simply astonished by the wonderous view before it faded into nothing.

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_Thanks for reading! Please review :)_


	2. Prolog: Meeting The Boy Who Smokes

_Hello everyone! I decided that I wanted to merge and rewrite prologue chapters two and three. I was having a super hard time writing the next chapter and I think it's because I hated this one so much lol. I changed a good majority of the beginning of this chapter and a bit at the end, but the middle is very much the same. If you want to skip ahead, I will have the next chapter posted in a few days hopefully! The plot stays the same so it will still make sense! I hope you enjoy!_

_I don't own Fairy Tail. All rights reserved to Hiro Mashima._

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_On the forty-fifth day of fall in the year seven hundred and eighty-two. By royal decree of King Heartfilia, all those who possess enchanted blood are to be executed. In accordance with the atonement for their many sins against Fiore and the preservation of its people, those who fall within these regulations are stripped of their rights and fall under the complete jurisdiction of the royal guard._

_-Cental Fiore newsletter / 782 _

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_785_

_Lucy's POV ~_

When Lucy awoke for the second time, reality was a cold plunge from the warmth she had previously been enveloped in. The scorching heat that dripped off her skin was replaced with cold stark hospital sheets, folded and constricting over her delicate frame. The smell of antiseptic swarming her nose, fogging her senses. Her own limbs felt foreign to her body, weighted and disconnected. She gave her head a slight shake, attempting to put her thoughts into a coherent line before pushing her eyes to open. Fluttering lashes peeled back to reveal blistering white, bright and gleaming. She was in a hospital room of sorts. The area spacious yet cluttered, stacked with recognizable medical tools and equipment. Three more beds lined the wall to her left, neatly folded green sheets perched at their heads. Their equipped side table decorated with delicate assortments of flowers. To her right, a grand mosaic styled window, allowing rays of warmth to comfort her chilled skin. Most of her vision, however, was obstructed by a large pearlized sheet, hung limply on ceiling hooks. A rather hideous pattern embroidered over the fabric. Lucy let out a slight huff as she shifted her weight, squirming to peer around the offending curtain. Her eyes blowing wide when her strained neck allowed her to peer over the hem. Across from her were two figures, seemingly unknowing of her newfound consciousness. A woman, with her back turned towards her, hips swaying as she tended to the man perched on the gleaming countertop to her front. Her hands precise and trained as they cleaned and stitched his open wounds. The man, she recognized to be her savior from the previous night. He looked relaxed, leaning his head against the tiled wall with his eyes closed. Even during her state of haze the evening prior she had thought he was beautiful, but looking at him now she was almost breathless. The mid-morning sun casting over him like a golden aura. The rich tan of his skin stretched over the spance of his bare chest. Pink tendrils crowned his scull obnoxiously, demanding some of her attention. His ears were lined with multiple gold piercings, a few hoops and studs littered across the cartilage in uneven numbers. The first and second holes at the bottom of his lobe matched, decorated with small golden dragon heads and smaller diamond studs respectively. Lucy had never seen a man like him before, pieced together so flawlessly. His features so strong and pronounced one would never be able to forget his face.

"You've really done a number on yourself this time Natsu." The woman finally spoke, her voice sweet, dripping with honey. She pulled away a step, her hands continuing to hover slightly over his chest. "Mira's going to pull such a fuss that you stitched some of these yourself, your handiwork is atrocious."

"Damn, and here I thought I'd be coming home to compliments." Natsu's face stretched into a wicked smirk as he spoke, an amusingly playful tone pouring from his throat. His eyes stretched open slowly, revealing deep rich obsidian. "Least I made it home in one piece."

The woman snorted, placing her hands on her hip."I suppose that could be considered an accomplishment for you." She shook her head lightly, stepping away from him to rummage through drawers. "What am I supposed to do when you come home in a multitude of pieces? I won't even know where to start."

This time Natsu snorted, leaning forward to remove his head from it's resting place. His long arm swung forward to loop around the woman's neck, stringing her into him with a noticeable force. "Ah Lissana, you worry too much. I'll always make it home to you." The woman giggled slightly, pushing up against his arm in a playful manner.

It was sweet really, their out front care for one another. Lucy couldn't help but feel she was spying, a dirty feeling pooling in the depths of her stomach. She leaned back slowly, only to freeze when her elbow connected with a glass that was apparently on her side table. In a swift movement, she tried to capture the glass between her fingertips before it shattered with an obnoxious clash. She most definitely had the other attention now. Nervously she glanced up, meeting their fixated gaze. They both looked a little stunned, eyes wide and gawking at her. "Oh, I wasn't expecting you to be awake so soon." The woman mused, tossing her head slightly to remove short tendrils of white from her view. She stepped away from Natsu, brushing his arm off her shoulder. She was a rather petite woman with a dainty exterior to match. Pale skin complimenting the blunt white locks that hugged at the edges of her skull. Her features were soft, melting into her face with refined opulence. And god, the most demanding electric blue eyes Lucy had ever seen. She looked almost whimsical, gliding across the tiles beneath her. Dressed in a light blue tunic that fell slightly past her full hips, a snowy cloak trailing over her shoulders. Pure crystallized beauty radiating off her skin. An unmatched goddess donated by the clouds themselves.

"W-who are you?" Lucy croaked, wincing at the crack that traveled down her throat. The uncertainty in her voice almost thick enough to peel away. The woman glanced up quickly, batting dark lashes that curled upwards towards her brow.

"My name's Lissana." She exhaled sweetly. "And yours?" Lucy simply shook her head, eyes never leaving their fixture on the woman. The panic thrumming through her blood was etching its way into her skin. She had enough people searching for her as it was, and with no actual knowledge about her current position, cautiousness was something she couldn't afford to overstep. "I suppose that's fair." She sighed in response. "Natsu-san said those awful royal guardsmen were giving you a fairly rough time." She tossed her head upwards softly, granting Lucy a kind smile. "I'm sorry you had to go through that... Those men really are despicable, taking advantage of a lady like that." Lucy nodded slowly, allowing her eyes to bounce back towards Natsu. He was staring burn holes into her skull. His expression firm and curious. She wanted to dive into his mind, unravel his thoughts and learn the story of the god-like man presented before her. She couldn't understand the magnetic pull towards him, why he stood out so much against the world. Her head was still throbbing and trying to focus on the persistent questions that were pouring from Lissana was such a hassle when all she wanted was to look at him. Lucy tried to refocus her mind, she looked back towards Lissana who gave her a sad smile when she realized Lucy hadn't been listening to any of her medical history questions. "Not to fret," She sputtered, taking a seat at the foot of the bed. "Let's just start with how you're feeling?"

Lucy turned to her leg, attempting to roll the limb under the restricting sheets. It screamed at her, a pulsing shot knawing at her nerve endings. The pain in her leg was understandable, the spasm a constant reminder of her miss-step the previous evening. But what truly caught her off guard was her wrist. The revolting snap still fresh against her eardrums. And yet, it was completely fine. A simple bandage sealed her skin away from the light of day, but the immediate pain had subsided, leaving an ignorable dull ache. She held her arm up in front of her, examining her joint with concentration as she unwove the silky fabric binding it. She looked back at Lissana, who was staring patiently with a hopeful grin. "How long have I been asleep for?" She questioned instead of granting an answer. The miraculous healing of her wrist throbbing at the back of her mind.

"Only for a few hours actually, it's fairly surprising considering that forceful head injury you endured. Not to mention the amount of smoke you inhaled." A look of confusion overtook Lucy's features, her eyes darting downwards to her wrist. She lifted her limb softly, holding it out towards the snowy woman while gesturing towards it with a slight nod. Lissana smiled weakly, opening her mouth to answer before a loud screech wafted from the hallway.

"ARE YOU FUCKING INSANE NATSU!?"

Lucy perked up instantly, keening onto the words that slipped through the gap of the doorframe. Lissana looked startled, gripping the edge of the bed while muttering under her breath. "WHY WOULD YOU BRING AN UN-REGISTERED MAGE HERE?!" The large wooden door that capped the far end of the room flung open, creaking hinges echoing down the hall. She found herself almost frustrated by the fact that everybody here seemed to be uncharacteristically good looking. The new figure rolling in on a chilled breeze. He was tall, lean and sculpted, the muscles rippling down his arms and over the plane of his stomach. Everything on show from his lack of shirt. Dark jeans strung casually over his defined hips by a flimsy belt, a black chain complete with a jeweled cross hung in the same manner around his pale neck. A structured 'V' definition peaking from above the metal clasp of his buckle. His face carried a grim but soothing expression. As if he was sweet yet unapproachable at the same time. A deep scar split the skin between his brow bone and the black hair crowning his head. He looked a little disheveled, stunned at the three pairs of eyes now focusing solely on him.

"What was I supposed to do? Just leave her there with those filthy bastards to burn in the forest?! Fuck off you over masculated ice cube tray." Natsu retorted back, sliding himself off the counter.

"YOU BURNT DOWN A FOREST?!"

Natsu raised his brow slowly, moving to grab his previously discarded sweater off the far chair. "Not the whole forest dumbass, just most of section 8." He slid the black crew-styled sweater over his head, sliding it down his ridged abdomen mindful of his new stitches. "Would ya quit yelling, you're gonna wake the whole guild."

"The magic council's going to string you up alive when they hear about this." Natsu shrugged at the man, apparently unfazed at the mention of a council Lucy didn't even know existed. So they were all mages? It was strange, the way they spoke so openly about magic. It, being a taboo topic in their modern culture.

"I-I'm sorry... Did you say magic council?" Lucy half-whispered, curiosity getting the better of her. The two men almost jumped at her words, as if they were so focused on one another they forgot about the other woman in the room.

"Wait, is this her?" The second man muttered under his breath, casting a weary wide-eyed glance at Natsu who nodded casually. "Uh... Good morning?" He tried, looking slightly disgruntled about how he was supposed to approach the situation. Lucy gave him a confused expression which only seemed to make the newcomer more uncomfortable. "My name's Gray, and this," He swung his arm back to point beside him. "Is Natsu." She nodded slowly, her confused expression still on display. Gray looked uneasy, shifting his weight to his other foot. It was odd, his lack of confidence in the current situation, considering his brash reaction a few moments ago. He ran pale fingers through his dark locks slowly, eyeing her from head to foot. It was almost like he was sizing her up, seeing if she would leap out and bite him.

"God, you really have a way with a woman." Natsu mocked in a teasing manner. She almost had to hold back her own giggle, Lissana doing the same off to her right. Gray scowled at Natsu, deep cold eyes a contrast to the slight flush in his cheeks.

"It's not that it's just the matter of.." He paused, trying to string together a coherent sentence to ask her.

"I think brain freeze is trying to ask what type of user you are." Natsu finished, a creamy laugh following his words. Gray let out an exasperated sigh, nodding slowly in defeat.

She raised a brow, confusion painting her face. Lissana had now stopped her busy-work, listening intently with a pointed expression. Lucy felt like shrinking under all the scrutiny. It wasn't that she wasn't used to all the attention, just that their gaze was firm, boiling her blood with the intensity. Her lower lip began to tremble, biting it being the only way to stop its quiver. If these people knew of her enchanted blood already she was screwed. If these people really weren't mages, her beheading would be scheduled before the days light slipped past the horizon line. The laws of the land were firm, and those who opposed them were treated just as poorly as the ones born against them. She pulled her lip into her mouth harshly, sucking in a shaky breath and tried to muster her most confident expression. "I'm not a witch." She deadpanned, deciding blatant denial would probably serve her the best in this situation. "Why would you accuse me of such treason before you even knew my name?"

Natsu's face contorted, his pupils blown wide for emphasis. A scowl blooming over his expressive features. "What are you talking about? I knew you were a witch from the second I saw you." He leaned in closer, studying her with exact precision. Lucy's breath caught into her throat, letting her lip fall from between her teeth with a careful whimper. "Drop the act, I hate when people play dumb with me." The temperature spiked in the room, like his onyx gaze was melting her organs into liquid fire. He was so intense, his presence alone petrifying when it needed to be.

How could he have known? She hadn't used her magic in years, let alone in front of this man. She was very particular about when she would let the enchantment rise to the surface of her skin, fairly certain that only her parents had ever witnessed it. And after her father's reaction, she wasn't too keen on letting a random stranger in on the secret. "H-how could you tell?" Natsu's expression faltered for a mere second before a smirk ebbed its way to his lips. Violently pointed canines peeking past the tan flesh.

"I could practically smell it on you from the forest line. Royal blood tends to reak." His smirk grew wildly, giving her an open few of the rest of his teeth. Placed perfectly with accurate precision and gleaming white. She could have sworn she witnessed a stream of smoke sneak past his teeth. His statement snagged the attention of everyone in the room, all their jaws hanging open slightly. Natsu didn't seem to notice the others, entertained completely by the flustered mess he had created out of the blonde. She was baffled. In a matter of two minutes, this man had ripped apart her most guarded secrets. Ones that she had dedicated the last three years of her life protecting. "Judging by your reaction I would even go as far as guessing that you just might be our one and only lost princess." He leaned in closer, gaging her reaction. His ridiculous smirk never leaving his quirked lips. This time she was certain of the smoke, a deep gray whisp forcing past his lips. "So I'll ask once more, what type of user are you?" His voice had dropped at least three octaves, the latter of the sentence losing the playfulness he had begun to pick up.

"Natsu, stop. You're scaring her." Lissana moved forward, placing a delicate hand over his rough shoulders. She was eyeing Lucy tenderly, the glimmer of her irises silently asking if she was alright. Natsu didn't retreat, keeping his stance firm as he loomed over the edge of her mattress. if Lucy thought her blood had been pushed to boiling under their original gaze, she figured at this point she was utterly evaporating.

"I'm n-not sure."

The room temperature spiked fiercely. Natsu's face contorting as his patience was ground down. Gray stepped forward, looking at her rather unpleasantly. "Look, I understand this is probably a lot to take in just after you woke up. I know you didn't ask for any of this, but because of this morons antics," He shoved his finger towards Natsu's chest from across the bed frame, earning a displeased scoff. "You ended up here. We really don't mean you any harm and we promise to help keep you safe if your willing to work with us. So please, just answer his question." Lucy nodded before tossing her head down, letting the bedsheets take up her vision. Gray certainly was kinder with his words, and she did feel a little less uncomfortable now. But the panic at the back of her throat had yet to subside completely.

"I'm sorry... I really don't know." She exhaled her words carefully. "I have almost no knowledge of magic, or how any of it works." She could feel the redness of her cheeks overtaking the rest of her face and crawling down her neck to splay over her chest. The embarrassment of her lack of skill taking over. "Really the most I can do is make my hands glow a little bit."

"Can you show us?" This time when Natsu spoke, his voice was calm. Soothing over her worry like a milky glaze. She tossed her head forward again, wincing at the slight throb just above her nose. His eyes were soft and endearing as he peered forward, waiting patiently for her to make her move. The contrast of his quickly changing moods almost giving her whiplash. She closed her eyes in focus, inhaling harshly as she forced all the heat in her chest to the tips of her fingers. A gentle hue of flaxen light coating over her palms and down her fingertips. She ripped her eyelids open when a forceful hand connected with hers. Natsu eagerly pulling them towards himself.

"No way..." He muttered, his words slipping out under his hot breath. The sultriness drizzling over her fingers and causing her light to spark recklessly before going out completely. He tossed his head to the side, catching Gray's stare. "Do you really think we found one?" Gray shrugged his shoulders slowly, eyes darting back towards Lucy's hands. She exhaled shakily, pushing her lips apart to question the two men, only to be caught off guard by the oak door swinging against its hinges violently.

"You," The newcomer lashed, striking a finger in Natsu's direction. "Have a hell of a lot of explaining to do."

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_Natsu's POV ~_

Natsu dropped Lucy's hand instantly, casting his attention to the figures in the doorframe. It appeared their Guild Master had returned from his trip unexpectedly early. And if the annoying expression plastered over his features was anything to go by, he wasn't too pleased by his own extravagant entrance. One might think after years of burning various things into pillars of ash, that people would get used to it. Sadly the reaction stayed relatively the same."So, what have you got to say for yourself?" Their headmaster practically spat, waving a stack of folded envelopes above his head dramatically. His small exterior greatly decreasing the intimidating aura he was obviously going for. The crevasses of his ever defining wrinkles scrunching as he contorted his face further. "You've really done a number this time Natsu. The council is furious with me for letting you galavant around so carelessly!" His voice was rough, the old man almost shaking with intensity. Natsu let a puff of smoke roll of his lips, deciding to focus instead on the figure beside their Master.

"I think what he means to say is good morning." The words rich on her tongue as they slipped past pearlized teeth. A soft chuckle capping her speech. Mirajane. A woman of utter sophistication. The elder sister of Lissana Strause, their resemblance uncanny as they stood across from one another. Her complexion held the same pale exterior but with such a rosy undertone one might believe she bathed only in the finest rosewater. Unlike her sister, her snowy locks fell in long relaxed curls that billowed at the extreme curve of her hips. She exhaled a sweet harmony over the gloss of her full pink lips. Working them into an amused pout while she raised her remaining hand to wrap her cinched waist. A dress colored of deep coral donned her figure, the neckline deep, complimenting the dip of her defined collar bones. Her every movement felt calculated, meticulous even. Her only goal to radiate complete and utter perfection. She released her hold on the Headmaster's shoulder with a slight pop of her wrist, sweeping forward across the tiles to circle around Natsu. A glorious smile overtaking her pout as she pinched his cheeks. "It's so good to see you back, you've been gone an awful lot lately." Natsu jerked his head backward ungracefully, detaching the abused flesh of his cheeks from her slender fingertips. "You look older, more filled out even." She tapped his chest pointedly, smirking up towards him. "And you need to shave."

Natsu shifted his weight to his other foot, rubbing the underside of his jaw self-consciously. "Good to see you too Mira." He utterly playfully. She had easily become one of his favorite people over the years, kindness basically radiated out of her pores. Her motherly figurative a welcoming beam of light over his shambled life. Although he still found it rather perplexing that she was engaged to one of the most hard-headed men he had ever met. His daunting personality alone was 'shock' enough. "How's Laxus been?"

"Well enough I suppose." She hummed gently. "I'm sure you can ask him for yourself when he catches up to you later. I've already asked him to have a word or two with you." Natsu raised his brow suspiciously as Mira crossed her delicate arms across her ample chest. "I mean seriously Natsu, gone for months and without letting a single person know you were even leaving. How irresponsible of you. Had me in such a worry. You know what they do to us if we're caught out there." She flicked her wrist softly, waving it in the air in front of her. "Not to mention you seem to be the least inconspicuous out of all of us. We've been tracking damage reports all over the content, trying to pin down your location."

"Ah Mira, you worry too much." He chided, giving her a wild smirk. "Lissana already gave me the same lecture."

"Wait until you see the mess of stitching he's done to his chest." She piped in for good measure, to which Natsu couldn't help but roll his eyes.

Mira shook her head, mid scoff. "How could you be so reckless? That fire was far to close to home. Think of all the attention you've drawn this way. Elfman was on watch last night, said he spent the whole shift diverting royal guardsmen away from our enchantment line." It was rare to see Mira look anything but overwhelmingly cheerful. The worried expression plastered over face felt foreign and wrong. He really did feel guilty for causing such a commotion, but he stood by his actions. He truly believed he did the right thing.

"Not to mention you've breached all of our safety restrictions by bringing an unregistered here." Lucy jumped slightly, realizing that the short man's attentive gaze was now pointed in her direction. Mira shot the man an aggravated look at his aggressive words. Typically preferring to keep a calm mind about things.

"When I saw what those bastard guardsmen were doing to her, taking advantage of her like that, I guess I kinda lost my temper." Natsu shrugged, brushing the situation off. "Anyway, when I went to go check if she was alright she kinda just grabbed on to me. And I could have sworn her hand was glowing gold, I just got excited that maybe I found a real celestial. I mean her blood is definitely that of royals, so I brought her back with me." He cast his eyes toward the very flustered and confused looking blonde, his lips curling into his famous smirk. "And get this Gramps, I just got her to do it again."

The Headmaster raised a brow, folding his arms across his chest. "Out of all the excuses to choose from, you pick the most outlandish and expect me to believe you?"

"Master, I think he's really telling the truth. I just saw her do it myself." Lissana spoke up, moving to join the circle of people around Lucy's bed. "I really don't believe she holds any threat over us. She hasn't even been taught how to control her energy." She raised her pale fingers to cup the underside of Natsu's jaw, her frame continuing to face the older man. "I know his actions may have seemed uncalled for, but above it all, he did save a life. Not to mention the fact that Freed's barrier charm has never been stronger. Attention to the area or not, I don't believe they'd be able to actually find us here." She giggled, crouching down to match his shorter height. "I think you should let her stay. If she really is a celestial, we could help unlock her potential. Plus, I don't believe she has anywhere else to go. Would you really kick a child to the street?" She gestured towards Lucy, who (if possible) looked more confused than before.

"Ah, Lissana, ever fateful with bailouts." The Headmaster snorted, crossing his arms roughly. She smiled genuinely, nodding her head slightly before standing again. He turned to face the recovering blonde, raising a brow in curiosity. "I suppose I can deal with Natsu's destructive behavior later. For now, let's start with your name?"

Natsu once again let his sightline fall to her, the pretty blonde woman wearing a perplexed expression. She was easily one of the most stunning women he'd ever come across, entrancing him from the second she fell in his peripheral. The way she was sitting, sprawled in the tall grass while those vile men encircled her. Moonlight basking over the expanse of her creamy skin. Expression firm even in her bleak situation. The way she had clung to his jaw when he finally approached her. Chocolate irises reflecting the golden light of his flames. Chest heaving, searching for lost breath. Her body, so delicate against his rough arms. When she had called him an angel in her disorientated state, it did more than stroke his ego lightly. And even now, wrapped up in a starch hospital gown, a grayish bruise dusted over the slope of her elegant nose. Blonde tendrils dancings over the small of her back in effortless curls. Shorter strands framing the heart shape of her face and dipping under the graceful curve of her chin. The way her words poured like thick cream from her slender top lip, pooling over the plumpness of her bottom one. "Lucy." Fitting, he almost snorted. Of course she would have a beautiful name to accompany her opulent exterior. "It's Lucy Heartfilia." She was nervous, quivering slightly under the scrutiny.

"A Heartfilia? Looks like I guessed right then." Natsu snickered, raising his arms to cross behind his head. Lucy nodded, casting her eyes back towards the sheets.

"I thought all the Hearfilia woman had passed?" Their Headmaster questioned. "Seem's only yesterday the Queen was executed before the public."

Lucy flinched, her fingers toying with one another absentmindedly. "S-she helped me run away. I think my father was embarrassed he wasn't able to find me. So he announced that my own execution would be private." She looked up, sad eyes locking with the old man who nodded in return.

"How did you end up in the forest?"

"Somebody must have recognized me while I was traveling through Magnolia." She mumbled, trying to hide the twitch of her lower lip. "The local guardsmen chased me from town." Their Master seemed satisfied enough with her answer, moving to the end of her bed before hopping up to perch on the fabric.

"So you knew nothing of what was located in this forest before your arrival?" He questioned, his tone was light while his eyes were serious. Lucy shook her head, golden locks bouncing with every sway. "I suppose that means our cover has yet to be blown." He nodded in approval before shifting his arm forward, offering his hand towards the young woman. Natsu winced slightly. This was their Master's final test to gauge if she was a threat or not, and it most certainly wasn't a pleasant one. At least in his case, it hadn't been. Headmaster Makarov Dreyar was an exceptional man, with abilities unmatched by the common mage. He had spent years of his life dedicated towards the magical arts, earning the title of Wizard Saint early on in life. One of his wondrous abilities was that of mind searching. Rare in its own right, giving the caster access to the memories of their chosen victim. A complete unlocking of one's mind. Or in Natsu's opinion, a complete invasion of one's most sacred and darkest memories. Forcing the victim to relive them while he searched. He turned away when he heard the breathy gasp escape her lips. Closing his eyes against the dull sapphire glow. When he finally peeled them open again, Lucy was sitting with a hurt expression over her features, clutching her previously extended hand against her chest. Neither of them spoke for a moment, allowing her to catch her breath before moving on. Natsu knew their Master would never utter a word about another's memories, but the thought of him having all this knowledge of someone was still rattling to him, despite the ample trust he had for the man.

"I'm sorry about that." Makarov apologized gently, tapping the blanket cast over her uninjured leg. "It's vital I dismiss any doubt of your character before allowing you access to my home and family." Lucy nodded slowly, her puzzled expression returning. Natsu let out a shaky breath, relief pooling in the pit of his stomach at her acceptance. "This place," The old man gestured around, "Is sector three's mage compound, code dubbed Fairy Tail. A completely self-sufficient guild created for the safety of mages like us." He smiled, the grin almost childlike against his aged exterior. "It was founded many years ago as a resource for mages to find work and housing and continues to provide that to this day. After the announcement of criminalization against those with magic blood, Fairy Tail, along with other guilds on the continent created a hidden network to aid witches and wizards in their daily life."

"That's amazing," Lucy whispered breathily. Natsu was scanning her again. His lips twitching into a smirk as he watched the light begin to slip back into her eyes. "Nobody ever speaks of it anymore, but I just knew there must have been a sanctuary of sorts for the enchanted." She was grinning now, a sheepish curl overtaking her mouth. "I knew my father would never be able to wipe magic away completely, it's far too strong for the likes of him."

Makarov nodded, hiding his own smirk behind the white mustache coating his top lip. "I am Headmaster Makarov, the keeper of this guild. I dedicate my life to the grounds and those who live here. In my opinion, there is no safer place for a mage to be in today's world."

"It's really more of a fact than opinion," Gray added, crossing his arms. "If you have any life ambition as a mage, a guild is where you want to be."

"And as a mage in need, I offer with complete sincerity a place of residence for you. There is no pressure in my offering, only available aid. We can train you here, help you to develop your skills in all things including magic. You can work for your keep as the other residents do, through listed quests and job postings as well as more clerical jobs around the base. I can offer you safety if you agree to live by the code and rules of our guild." The headmaster spoke evenly, keeping his attention on the blonde. Her excitement seemingly growing with his every added word. "It's up to you, child."

Lucy was beaming, glistening straight teeth on show for the group. "This really is like a dream." She hummed. "I think I would be insane to decline such an offer."

Makarov nodded approvingly. "Well Miss Lucy, on behalf of our guild I would like to offer you a warm welcome, as well as an apology for the situation that brought you to us. I hope you will come to love it here just as I do." He slid off the edge of the bed, now making his way towards the door. "For now child, you should rest. Come tomorrow morning we can see about housing arrangments for you." He peered over his shoulder at her, granting a kind smile, then turned towards Natsu. "And you," he spoke sternly, pointing a finger at his chest. "Come to my office, I believe we still have much to discuss about your recklessness.

"And I am most certainly will be having a look at those stitches Natsu. Let's not add more than we must to that collection of scars." Mira scolded firmly. Natsu let out a smoky huff before following the older man out the door. Only sparing a single glance back towards Lucy before turning down the hall.

* * *

_ Lucy's POV ~_

Everyone continued to file out of the room after Natsu, leaving her alone with an overly beaming Lissana. "I just know you'll love it here. Fairy Tail has become a home for so many others like you, I have no doubt you'll fit in." She hummed, her glorious smile never leaving her lips. Lucy nodded happily, her own smile crawling across her lips innocently.

"Is everybody here proficient in magic?"

"Almost all the current members are yes, but others were like you when they were recruited." A dreamy look overtook her blue orbs as she seated herself at the foot of the mirroring bed. "If I remember correctly, even Natsu-san struggled to make sparks when Gildarts came across him." She let out a breathy giggle. "And look at the powerhouse he's become! I'm sure you'll progress quickly enough."

"Did he really burn an entire section of forest away?" Lucy couldn't help herself from prying about the boy, still overly curious about everything he had to offer. "How did he manage that?"

Lissana snorted, rolling her shoulders back carefully "One does not simply explain how Natsu manages to do half the things he does." She huffed, tossing her bangs with a flick of her neck. "Although, as disastrous as his methods seem to be, he _always_ manages to save those who need saving." She was smiling again, a goofy-looking grin plastered over her lips. She stood slowly, turning to dig through a drawer in the desk across from the bed. "He comes across a little brash sometimes, but I promise you he's rather amazing."Lucy relaxed lower into the bedsheets, deciding that the woman ahead of her was just blatantly that nice. Maybe she really would be safe and hidden here. The thought was charming, having a solid place to stand on for a while. Even the clean sheets of the infirmary a considerable upgrade from the cheap rooms she had been renting.

"He saved me too, ya know. A long time ago, when we were young and foolish." Lissana spun on her heel gracefully, leaning against the worn wooden siding of the desk. Her cloak rippling around her legs with pure grace. "I owe him everything." Her lips curled upwards slightly, smiling at the ground as if it would respond to her sincerity. It was almost endearing, hearing her speak so highly of somebody. "It really isn't that terrible being indebted to somebody like him." She was beaming at the floor foolishly now and this time it was Lucy's turn to snort, amused at how this woman was so clearly drooling over Natsu. Though she could hardly blame her, he had been astronomically beautiful. Even the gods seemed uncomparable. She nodded slowly, returning Lissana's warm gaze.

"Now," Lucy spoke softly, trying to regain her confidence. "Can you tell me what a celestial is?"

* * *

_What did you think? Was this chapter better now that I merged them, or worse? I really wanted to establish more of a relationship between Lissana and Natsu. I always liked them a lot as friends and I wanted them to seem closer to justify her love for him a bit more. I really hope you like it! Next chapter is the time skip and where the actual story begins!_


	3. One: The Dragon's Birthday

_My original first chapter! Hope you enjoy :)_

_I don't own Fairy Tail. All rights reserved to Hiro Mashima._

* * *

_LOCAL STELLA CHILD CHARGED WITH MURDER_

_Yesterday (Twenty-Second day of Summer) local Stella child (name currently withheld from the public) was accused of the purposeful murder of his parents and elder brother. It's claimed the child caused a raging fire in their family home, taking the lives of his family almost instantly. Authorities confirm a search has been formally conducted to find the missing child, and the public will be updated accordingly._

_Stella Crime Reports / 772_

* * *

_788_

She always thought he looked the best while asleep. Mind caught up in a dream, unfocused to the world around him. The way his bare chest shuddered on every exhale. The stark white of the scars littered over his tan skin. There was never a time he looked more relaxed, his sharp facial features losing their regular heated mark. He was in every aspect, simply beautiful. Once her blurry vision had focused on him, she'd been utterly captivated. And now, with him laying so nonchalant atop her blue pleated comforter she took the time to soak him in. It was rare for a moment of peace to present itself in their chaotic lives. Sometimes she felt stuck in a constant state of running. And tiring as it was, she had never felt such happiness. It was almost funny, she thought. How she had been humored by Lissana's words the day she had met her. All her preaching about how she owed this man her entire life. And to think now, she felt almost the same. She really did owe him the world, for he was the one to actually give her one.

Three years had passed since Natsu had rescued her from the forest and brought her to Fairy Tail. Taken her hand and led her step by step through his exciting life. Teaching her the unspoken rules of the enchanted world. The guild really was a dream, giving her a place to live and grow in exchange for work. Everybody had a simple job they worked while at home. Natsu for instance, worked the front guard line, scouting the edge of their safety enchantments for trespassers and unwanted visitors. When he wasn't out scouting, he stood watch in one of the three stone lookout towers. It made sense, given he had uncanny senses and tracking abilities. Lucy found herself taking shifts in the constantly busy infirmary alongside Lissana and her sister Mirajane. It was pleasant work, a good distraction from day to day life. But it was when they left the guild that the real adventure began. Fairy Tail (along with other guilds in the network) took job and quest submissions from trusted or other magic folks. They ranged from simple things such as retrieval of objects or escorting people during their travels, all the way to clearing out dark guilds and the slaying of demons. Natsu had been gracious enough to form a team with her, working alongside her to complete jobs. They truly had become an inseparable force over the last few years.

Lucy set the plate she had been carrying on the side table by her bed before moving to lean against the end of her mattress. Natsu twitched slightly in his sleep but didn't wake, instead rubbing the underside of his nose against the back of his wrist. She snickered lightly, brushing golden locks from her view. She still found it hard to believe the man in front of her, sleeping so silent, was actually an unmatched powerhouse of magical energy. A_ dragon slayer_, so he was called. An extremely rare form of magic, bestowed by the dragons themselves to aid the humans in their war against the 'white witch' hundreds of years prior. The rarity stemmed from the fact that these commanding creatures no longer existed, wiped out by the very magic they had gifted the humans. Thus earning the _'slayer'_ term. In the current day, dragon-slaying magic was passed down through bloodlines, slowly dwindling downwards to nothing. Natsu claimed he remembered nothing of his parents, choosing to never speak about them or anything else regarding his past. This sat just fine with Lucy, considering her home life wasn't much more uplifting. An abusive father, drunk with power. So consumed in his self-preservation he elected to wipe out a quarter of the population in fear of them uprising. Jealous of the power swimming through their veins. Even going as far as to execute his beloved Queen and daughter for their enchanted blood.

Her mother had always whispered of the beauty that came with their magic. _The glow of the gods_ she called it. And translated directly, it sort of was. Celestial magic rumoured to have been created directly by the gods for a historical gracious Queen. The only enchantment to possess such a warm golden hue, literal stardust drifting from fingertips. Natsu had gone out of his way train with her while she learned her capabilities. Even (much to his distaste) spending hours upon hours scanning over ancient books and text, looking for answers to explain her mysterious powers. There was extremely little known about celestial magic. Its rather small royal bloodline being the only people able to wield the starlight. After three years of constant work, Lucy believed she was rather proficient in its use, though she could never be completely sure. As special as it was, being enchanted with such abilities it was also rather frightening, to say the least. With rarity came obsession. Many stories existing of the pursuit of celestial mages, desire for their uncapped power. The story goes that besides their own magical abilities, celestial mages can greatly increase magical energy with a single drop of their blood. _Their blood is said to taste like pure ecstasy. Mages go insane after a single drop, drunk on the taste. _Natsu had told her. The thought always made her stomach turn.

Lucy huffed, shaking her head to dismiss her thoughts. Today was supposed to be a happy day, she couldn't let her self get caught up over nothing. Sliding the light grey flats off her stocking covered feet, she pulled herself completely up on the mattress. It was a pleasant Tuesday morning, the sun soaking through the aged glass of the windowpane. Her room taking on a rosy hue as the light bent with the lace of her pink curtains. Her room was small (as were most of the dorms in Fairy Tail were) but she loved it just the same. Her bed was pressed against the far right corner, mirroring a birch desk placed at the conjunction of the other. It, currently serving as the sleeping place for a bizarre blue cat, napping happily, wound up in scaled white fabric. She had a small overstuffed closet at the foot of her bed and an ensuite adjacent to the grand door leading to the hallway of other rooms. It was her safe place, a real home to relax and be herself in. The old walls speaking for previous guild members long passed. The only thing was, that she more often than not had to share with an intruding pyromaniac. Whether that was a negative or bonus she never could decide. She crawled towards the unsuspecting male, strung out over the bedding in his sleeping state. Taking perch beside his head, she pulled her knees to her chest. Her wrist flicking outwards slightly as she moved to wake him. It almost felt criminal, pulling him from his peaceful slumber, but she was too excited, not wanting to wait any longer. She dusted her fingers over his forehead, moving the displaced pink tendrils from his closed eyes. The light touch was enough to sway him from his dreams, grimacing as he squinted one eye open.

"Good Morning birthday boy." Lucy smiled sweetly, running her fingers through his fringe once again before pulling back. She wrapped her arms around her folded knees, watching as the tired man before rubbed his eyes. "Bout time you joined the land of the living."

"Birthday boy?" Natsu questioned, his voice raspy, rugged with sleep. "Lucy, you know I don't know when my birthday is." He shoved his elbow under himself clumsily, sliding his body to more of a sitting position against the headboard. An exaggerated yawn flashing his pointed canines.

"I know." The words a sweet hum over her lips. "And every year I tell you, everyone deserves a birthday, and that you should just pick a day to celebrate."

Natsu was smirking now, his expression slowly coming together as he woke. "And every year I tell you it's not important, and that you're crazy."

"You celebrate my birthday every year, what's the difference?" She questioned playfully.

"I dunno, just different cause it's you."

Lucy tried to ignore the heat that was surely blooming over her pale cheeks, tossing her bangs to the side with a sway of her neck. "Stop being so modest you stupid dragon, you're just as important as anyone else and deserve a day dedicated to you just the same." Natsu rolled his eyes at her, earning a swat to his shoulder. "Since you never pick a day, I've taken the initiative of picking for you."

"And today made the cut?" He joked, fingers twisting upwards to toy with a strand of her golden hair.

"It's the first day of summer." She rushed out with slight embarrassment. "I thought it was fitting considering your name."

Natsu snorted, mumbling something along the lines of 'cute' before pushing himself upright into a complete sitting position. He glanced to the side, noticing the small plate Lucy had put down earlier. He spun his head back towards her, eyebrow raised curiously. "Did you really bake me a cake?" She had, in fact, baked him a cake. Lucy nodded sheepishly, feeling the heat in her cheeks expand down her chest. It was nothing special, a miniature loaf that resembled more of an oversized muffin than an actual cake. To be fair, it had only been her second attempt at baking. She had considered asking Mira to make one for him, but she was away on work with her younger brother Elfman and her husband Laxus. Leaving Lucy to her own devices. Her first attempt had left the guilds mess hall a smoky mess and resulted in something unedible. Her second attempt had actually tasted pretty good despite its appearance. She had iced it in fluffy yellow icing, a baby blue branding of '22' crowning the top.

"You think I'm twenty-two?" He questioned again, his voice more steady than his earlier playfulness. His fingers continuing to loop over her flaxen strands.

"Well nobody knows your actual age, so I had to make an educated guess." She huffed in response.

Natsu chuckled slightly, wrapping his arm around the blonde and pulling her into his bare chest roughly. "You're probably right, as per usual." Lucy tried to scramble against him but was held firm between his rippling arms. He slid one upwards, wrapping it around her neck pulling her into him further His chin nestled in her flaxen tendrils "Thanks, Luce, you really are the best." His lips brushing just slightly over her temple as he spoke. The touch so light she wasn't sure if there was really any contact or if she was reacting to his unusually hot breath against her fair skin.

She loved moments like this. When the loud-mouthed, cocky, and rather brash man spoke in gentle tones. It was such a contrast to his typical over-excited nature. It may be selfish on her part, but she loved that this side of him was private, only sneaking up when the boy felt truly comfortable. It wasn't that he was typically exhausting, in fact, he had matured greatly over the years. But she had yet to witness him speak so calmly to another, the constant rigidness in his shoulders lacking in moments like this. It made her feel special, like she really was important to somebody. Not that she could ever deserve somebody as special as him. Somebody who lived their life completely for those surrounding him.

"We should hurry up and head down to the hall, Lissana's been cooking breakfast for us all morning." Natsu nodded in response, sliding himself off the cotton sheets with another exaggerated yawn. He flung his arms above his head, stretching out his previously coiled limbs. Lucy watched absentmindedly as his taut muscles strained under the spance of his tan skin, moving in sync with his smooth rhythm. He slipped a black hoodie over his head, sliding it painfully slow over his ridged abdomen. Sometimes Lucy liked to believe he showed off on purpose, maybe hoping to get her flustered for his own entertainment. He side-stepped into the ensuite, rummaging around in cabinets before his head popped back out of the doorframe. He looked slightly dishevelled, toothbrush hanging from his perfectly placed teeth. Lucy couldn't help but giggle at his curious expression, already knowing what he was about to ask before he even started speaking.

"I think Lissana tried to make all your favorites." Natsu nodded excitedly, darting back through the frame to continue cleaning up for the day. She swore there was nothing in this world that got him more excited than food tended too.

* * *

The walk to the mess hall was pleasant, small talk mixing with their echoed footsteps on stone. Fairy Tail had taken residence in a long-abandoned castle on the outskirts of the supposedly haunted forest. Encased in hills of sprawling green, plenty of room for its members to train and spend their leisure time. A safe and beautiful space hidden so casually within the modern world, at least, thanks to the protective charms cast over the vicinity. The castle and grounds were un-seeable by the normal eye, only appearing if you knew what to look for. Most common folk would have their mind altered slightly on approach, causing them to reroute their current path. But on occasion, people have still managed to slip in, mostly lost children who's pure hearts wanted only a family or somewhere safe to rest. But there had been cases of well-skilled mages slipping through. One's like their friend Erza who possessed an enchantment cancelling eye. That's where Natsu and the other's on watch and guard duty came into place, silently protecting the livelihoods of so many. Their Headmaster was always very adamant in the safety of his 'children', so he called them. Always making sure the proper steps were taken. This was something Lucy very much appreciated, almost considering the man to be her replacement father figure.

"Hey wait, let's step outside quick." Natsu mumbled, grasping the side of her arm and guiding her over to one of the numerous balconies. He pushed the enormous oak doors open with ease, practically leaping out to bask in the sun rays.

"You really are like a salamander sometimes," Lucy scoffed playfully, commenting on his community dubbed nickname. Mages were generally very secretive about their identities, even with mages of other guilds. Understandably wanting to avoid attention from the crown. But Natsu seemed to have a knack for attention, or rather, for destruction which typically caused a lot of notice from townsfolk. The population of Fiore deciding on the name 'Salamander' for their rampant arsonist. Natsu snorted, retaliating by ruffling her hair aggressively. He then spun the other way, practically flopping against the wall with an exhale. He reached behind his gold decorated ear to remove a cigarette from its resting place. Lighting the tip of his finger with a hypnotizing flame. "I really wish you would drop that awful habit." Lucy nagged, crossing her arms slowly. "You're going to cause your own early death."

As per usual Natsu looked at her like she was crazy. "You do realize I breathe fire right? Smoke it practically oxygen for me."

Lucy simply shook her head, not wanting to get into their usual child-like argument about the safety of smoking. "You know Mira would agree with me." She teased.

"I know Mira isn't my mother, so does it really matter?" He smirked, pulling a long drag and blowing the stream into the blonde's face. She swatted at the smoke angrily, muttering under her breath about her immaculate ability to deal with morons. She turned and stepped out slowly to the edge of the castle balcony, draping her arms over the stone railing. The weather was spectacular today, the sky clear and the air surrounding them was warm and comforting. The clouds silently wishing them well with their day.

"I was thinking," The blonde hummed, turning back to face her pink-headed partner "We could take a job request today. Birthday boy gets to pick? Maybe Happy would even want to tag along."

Natsu beamed at her, exhaling a grey cloud. "Sounds like a plan Blondie."

Eventually, Natsu finished hacking away at his cigarette, giving his body a final long stretch under the sun before motioning for them to return indoors. Thankfully he seemed to be the only man Lucy had ever met that never reeked of the poison smoke. (or she liked to call it) His typical earthy scent mixed with a hint of mint and cinnamon seemed to repel all foreign smells. The remaining walk to the mess hall was quiet, the two simply comfortable in the silence of the other. At least it started that way, interrupted only by Natsu's sharp inhale as he broke out in short fits of laughter. Lucy turned to him, gawking slightly at his strange behavior while she waited for him to catch his breath. They were only about a floor away from the hall, the castle being as obnoxious as it was, took a while to navigate through.

"A surprise party? You really pulled all the stops hey?" Natsu mused, turning his shit-eating grin to face her. She looked absolutely baffled, her pace coming to a complete stop. This only caused Natsu to laugh harder, clutching his sides with amusement. "Did you forget about my incredibly awesome superhuman senses?" He bragged playfully. "I can hear everybody down there running amuck trying to get everything together." Lucy's expression faltered slightly. Really, who could blame her for forgetting one of his hundreds of bizarre quirks. A pout started to work its way to her plump lips. Instantly Natsu cut off his laughter, moving to stand right in front of her. "Aweh come on Luce, it's not ruined yet, promise." She scoffed slightly, swatting at his arm. "I'll even pretend to be surprised, since you worked so hard n' all." Lucy only grabbed his hand, shaking her head slightly. Of course he would react that way, selflessly cheering her up at the slightest bit of disappointment. Even on his own birthday.

When they arrived at the doorway, the hall echoed with its silence. Clearly, the other guild members had found an adequate hiding place. Natsu cast her his infamous smirk before pushing the doors open, and (rather skillfully she might add) gave off his best-surprised reaction to the other members jumping out, cheering his name. It didn't take much to rile up the other members, they were always ready for any sort of celebration. The mere mention of alcohol sparking the interest in most of them. Besides that, there seemed to be a collective amount of appreciation for Natsu among them. Either a family-style bond or respect collected over the years. Even in some cases, complete loving adoration. The latter of which currently on display as Lissana latched herself onto the man, wrapping him into a soft embrace.

"Happy birthday Natsu-san." She cooed into his ear, gripping the man tighter. Natsu returned the compassion with ease, thanking her for all her work in the kitchen this morning. They looked fitting together, at least in Lucy's opinion. Although, that didn't mean she was very fond of watching them. In fact, she found it rather stomach-turning. Watching as Lissana openly strung herself all over him to no avail. It wasn't that she hated Lissana either, the girl being exceptionally kind-hearted and sweet. A genuine soul. Not to mention she was one of the prettiest women Lucy had ever seen, possibly rivaled only by that of her older sister. She wasn't sure exactly what it was, the feeling in her gut when she watched them together. The glorious smile that Natsu always wore around her gave nothing but an uneasy feeling. This, of course, had _nothing_ to do with the maddening crush she had on the man. No, it most certainly didn't.

"You're staring." A whisper fell over her shoulder, startling her. She tossed her head quickly, scanning her peripheral for the intruder. Levy McGarden. An extremely petite and slender woman. Her eyes playful while she teased. The blue strands of her hair tied back by a golden ribbon strapped across the top of her skull in its usual fashion. It just so happened that this literature-loving book worm was Lucy's best friend (besides Natsu, of course). "If it bothers you so much, why don't you just tell him?"

The blonde stared at her friend with wide eyes, progressively more startled than before. "It's not like that! We're just friends!" She defended breathlessly. "How many times do I need to repeat myself? You and Mira are going to give me a stroke." She slumped over the counter of the bar she was currently seated at with a huff.

Levy lifted her brow in a mocking manner, chuckling before taking a seat at the bar beside Lucy. "Whatever you say Lu." She teased further before letting her expression fall back to normal. "This party really is nice though, you outdid yourself this time for sure." Lucy nodded slowly, spinning on her stool to take in the atmosphere. The morning was still fairly young for a typical party in her opinion, but she had really wanted to spend the evening working on a job request with the birthday boy. After some convincing, she had managed to get the rest of the members to agree with the morning time frame. The hall was decorated in a beach style theme (this being the only way to incorporate burning tiki torches, a strange favorite of the pink-haired male). Strings of flowers spiraled the stone columns in a variety of color. All the members seemed to match, flower wreaths hung around their throats in the same manner. The overly grand hall taking on a more cozy interior. Even the enormous stained windows had banners plastered to their panes. Celebration wishes printed on the fabric. Everybody had woken up super early to pitch in, getting everything set up without a hitch. Smiles and laughter mixed together creating a pleasant feeling. Kinship and happiness coated over the walls. Even Gray, the ever stoic had cracked a smile. Bickering with Natsu while holding on to his prized possession Juvia. Though he had yet to admit it, his feelings for the blue-haired, eclectic water woman were growing to become glaringly obvious.

"It really is nice." Lucy hummed softly. "It's a shame nobody ever thought to celebrate his birthday before. Hasn't he been a member for a long while now?"

Levy nodded happily. "I think Gildarts found him when he was about twelve or thirteen, I mean if he really is twenty-two like you guessed."

Lucy let out another breathy hum, turning away from the crowd to face her friend once again. "Does anybody really know about his life before Gildarts found him? He never talks about his past."

"I suppose that makes sense." Levy folded her arms casually, balancing her chin in her palm. "As rambunctious as he is, I think Natu's a little more reserved about his life on purpose. He really never talks about his opinions or feelings even, unless it's regarding a fight." She giggled lightly. "I think if he were to open up to anybody, it would probably be you Lu."

Lucy turned her head back towards the crowd, scanning over the bodies in search of him once again. A gentle _maybe_ falling from her lips, her mind more focused on its hunt. She locked eyes with him from across the hall and couldn't help but smile brightly when he started making his was towards her.

"Happy birthday Natsu." Levy chimed on his approach. He beamed at her, letting a string of smoke leak between his teeth while he thanked her. "Didn't Lucy outdo herself with this party?" She smirked, nudging her blonde best friend who rolled her eyes and groaned internally.

"She really did." Natsu agreed eagerly, wrapping his arm around Lucy's shoulder to pull her into half a hug. "Aren't I spoiled?"

"Maybe a little." Levy jested, poking his chest playfully. Lucy wasn't really sure how the rest of the conversation played out, instead focusing on the radiant cake Lissana was currently wheeling out from the kitchen. Not that she would ever mention it, but when comparing this to the strangled looking muffin she had presented to him earlier, she was slightly offended for her own creation.

"Time to make a wish Natsu-san!" Lissana called softly, pushing the platter in front of him. Natsu closed his eyes in thought before leaning forward to blow out the red candles splattered over the layers, and Lucy couldn't help but smile with the rest of the group. It was just so nice, seeing the boy that always made sure everyone else was doing okay, actually have a moment for himself. Taking a second out of his hectic life to celebrate his very existence. Smiling and cheerful surrounded by his makeshift family. A moment of true happiness. If the remaining day's of her life were at least half as good, Lucy thought she could consider herself lucky.

* * *

The morning had begun to drift away slowly, the party winding down accordingly. Everybody needing to get to work and begin their day to day routine. The hall progressively becoming more silent. Lucy was busy clearing empty bottles and glasses from a table when she regarded a comforting heat creep over her shoulder. "Did you pick a job yet?" She cooed at her partner, noting his presence without a need to visually see him.

"Of course." Lucy fluttered her lashed quickly when a flyer was held in front of her sightline, his arm stretching over the top of her head. She squinted slightly, reading the print of the request carefully. The job was nothing out of the ordinary, a group of bandits disturbing the peace of a small town a short train ride away. They only needed to find their base, possibly ruffle them up a little and get them to vacate the premises. "Did you catch that reward?" He presses, stepping around her to face her. She grabbed the flyer from his extended palm, narrowing down on the fine print. The cash reward was rather minimal compared to the requests they usually accepted. She raised a brow at him over the edge of the page and he smirked, telling her to _keep reading_. Her irises flashed back over the text, blowing wide when she read the final sentence. **One first edition copy of Queen Anna Heartfilia's uncensored oral history on celestial magic**. "She's probably your great grandmother or something hey? Natsu asked cheerfully, studying her reaction. "I figure we might find something new the other books missed." She could feel the beat of her heart quicken with excitement. Information on celestial magic was insanely hard to find, and to find something created by one of her ancestors was completely unheard of. A once in a lifetime opportunity.

"Is this really the job you want to take? Today's about you, we don't need to take this for me."

"Consider it a thank you for everything you did for me today." Natsu beamed at her, and she couldn't help but return the smile back at him. How lucky was she that this selfless man just so happened to be her best friend. She let out a breathy _okay_, wrapping the fire-breather in a tight hug. He chuckled at her, grasping her shoulders and holding her a step back to meet her gaze. "I have one more favor though," She nodded slowly, smirking back at the man. "You gotta share this with me before we head out." He reached behind him, grasping a plate he must have placed down earlier. The miserable excuse of a cake she had made for him presented before her.

She almost broke out in a fit of laughter, needing to take a moment to catch her breath and calm herself. "You don't need to eat that, Lissana made you a much better one."

"Ya, but you made this one." He deadpanned, looking at her curiously. Her cheeks were definitely inflamed, the heat brushing its way down her throat and over her collar bones. If it was possible, her heart rate doubled over its already quickened pace. "Plus," he continued while taking a large bite, "It tastes so fucking good." He laughed warmly, offering a bite in her direction. She joined him with her own fit of giggles, perching herself on one of the hall's benches to share the rest of the desert with him.

They ate quickly, sharing their excitement over the new job. Lucy practically gushing over the fact that a book of that stature even existed. No matter her effort, she couldn't contain the smile cemented over her lips."What are you two up to for the rest of the day?" Lissana's cheerful tone carried over, pulling them out of their fixated trance. She had cleaned herself up after the party, draping herself in a summer yellow fitted sundress. It ruffled out over her hips, only accentuating her perfect curves more so. Her white locks pulled back with a pearled clip. Lucy was almost annoyed at her for simply looking like herself, completely void of any flaws.

"Just heading out for a job," Natsu responded, sliding over to let her take a seat beside him.

"Oh, that sounds like such fun! I haven't been out in ages." She wined graciously. "I was going to wait for Mira and Elman to return, but it's been almost a month, I'm not sure when they'll be back." She folded her slender fingertips over the edge of the table, leaning in slightly as she spoke. "Would either of you mind if I tagged along? I've been working on this new spell and I'm just dying to try it out!"

Natsu glanced towards Lucy, trying to gauge her reaction. The blonde just shrugging at him, leaning back against the bench. She was silently hoping he turned her away, the selfish side of her wanting to spend the next few days with just each other. And happy (Natsu's royally annoying blue flying cat), of course. "Ah sure Lissana," Natsu sputtered, still trying to read the blonde. "The more the merrier I suppose."

The fairy-like woman practically sprung out of her seat. Perfect dazzling teeth on show as she glanced back at them over her shoulder. "Oh, fantastic! I can't wait!" She mused, heading off towards the hall exit in a hurry. "I'll just head up and pack real quick!"

Natsu flashed an awkward smile back at Lucy, shifting to lean over the table towards her. "Cheer up Luce, this could be fun if you let it. Next job will just be us, sound good?" She nodded back at him, groaning internally before heading up to her own room to gather her things together. It was strange, adding her to the equation. It was always just her and Natsu that went on jobs. Even Gray dropped in from time to time. But it was never Lissana. She knew that it shouldn't matter all that much. Lissana was an amazing person and a fairly good mage in her own right. As much as she didn't want to admit it, she knew jealousy was the only thing she had against the girl. To her knowledge, Natsu had never reciprocated the girl's advances and constant pining. He was also his own person, his decisions didn't need to compensate for her own muddled feelings. All she knew, was that this was going to be a really long trip.

* * *

_**FINALLY**, I have been working on this chapter for so long! It was so much easier to write after revising the last chapter. I saw some reviews saying they wanted more Nalu so I tried to add a bunch, nothing too crazy yet though lol. I love a good slow burn, so I think I'm going to try my best to go along with it. But even I can only handle so much. If you want a really good slow burn Nalu fic, I love **Boiling Point **by **Satyrykal**! I really recommend! I binged it in a day!_

_I also saw a few questions on the royal aspect of things, more so regarding Lucy's dad and the magic ban. I tried to explain the plot a little more clear this time around, especially because Lucy knows so much more about magic than at the beginning. But I don't want to give too much away just yet. The article posting at the beginning of each chapter will probably shed more light on it as we progress. As well as some spoilers, so keep them in mind!_

_And I tried really hard to at least start creating the type of relationship Lucy and Natsu have with each other. Basically, they just really appreciate the other person's existence right now!_

_And lastly, I really don't hate Lissana. I actually think she is a really sweet character, and I adore her and Natsu's childhood romance! Although she isn't the main ship for this story, she's going to play a **HUGE **role at the start, especially next chapter. So her and Natsu's relationship will be built up a lot in chapter two. Don't lose heart though, Nalu is always end game._

_I really hope you enjoyed it! Let me know what you think! :)_


	4. Two: The Post Birthday Bloodbath

All my life I have been so protective over my writing like I never let anybody read any of my work. And seeing all the views and reviews on this story is just so cool honestly! Thank you, everyone! Hope you enjoy the new installment! Also sorry for the wait!

Me: Has a brain full of awesome scenes I want to re-create for this fic.

Also me: Has absolutely no idea how to write good filler to get from one plot point to the next

_I don't own Fairy Tail. All rights reserved to Hiro Mashima._

* * *

_ STELLA ARSON CHILD FOUND IN APPARENT SUICIDE_

_Stella authorities confirm the finding of the six-year-old boy wanted for the murder of his parents by arson. Officers on the scene describe their finding's as 'grotesque' and 'horrendous'. Details of the child's apparent suicide are still unclear at this time. The public shall be updated as more facts are presented."A child should never look like that, no matter the sins committed." -Arukadiosu /_ _Cherif Officer of Stella's Cherry Blossom Knights_

_Stella Crime Reports / 772_

* * *

_788_

The dull thundering of a train traveling over laid track had always sounded soothing to Lucy. Whether it was a version of simple white noise or one of few comforting memories from her days of running, she could never tell. Something about the rhythmic sway of the train car, mixing with the light hum of the metal hovering. She would argue that she never slept better, besides maybe sleeping near Natsu during the cold winter months. A perk she had come to favor about him over the years. And yet, the rattling of their train compartment lacked its usual lulling charm, her mind wired yet not focused on anything in particular. The dark of the sky had crept up slowly, tearing apart the wicked blue that it had previously embodied. Stella wasn't overly far away, a neighboring continent overthrown by the Fiore army. Majority of the land was underdeveloped, a cluttered mess of forest and mountains. A singular city near the center was all that resided on the vast land, thus keeping the name of the continent itself. Their train wasn't due to reach the platform until the early hours of the morning, and Lucy couldn't help but let an annoyed sigh escape at the thought. There were at least four more hours of traveling remaining, and time seemed to be passing at half it's regular speed. Not to mention the fact that her companions were sleeping soundly, letting the night slip away without a worry.

They had lucked out with a train equipped well for travel, small, but personal compartments lining down each side of the train's cars. The compartment's themselves were nothing extravagant, simple cloth-covered benches mirroring one another. The sliding door creaking obnoxiously when it was opened. If anything, it's most astounding feature was the lingering smell of old shoes and musty wood.

Lucy glanced over to her pink-haired partner, smirking with slight pity for the boy. Natsu had never served well with travel, a rather astonishing relationship with motion sickness. Even in his sleeping state, she could tell he was miserable, clutching the edges of his stomach with purpose. Porlyusica, the guilds head medical attendant had explained it stemmed from his dragon-slaying abilities. Supposedly his senses were so over heightened, the motion of vehicles rattled his own sense of balance. Still, it didn't make it any less enjoyable to tease said boy about it. Currently, he was seated with his shoulder blades pressed heavily into the cushioned backrest, leaning his head against the chilled window pane. A frame of light fog splaying from where his skin connected, the contrast in temperatures causing the reaction. Natsu was always warm, his average body temperature running much higher than that of a regular human. Though when he slept, it usually spiked much higher, his concentration lacking, barely keeping his own skin under control. He had never voiced it to Lucy, but she knew it was a draining task for him, his wild emotions always causing it to fluctuate. When he got overly flustered or rageful he became damn near scalding. Lucy never really minded it, especially in situations like this, his natural body heat making for a cozy effect. She was curled up on the opposite side of the bench, her back resting against the wall connected to the sliding door. With a muffled groan she moved to remove her freezing toes from the constraints of her boots, deciding to take advantage of the living heater across her. Tucking her feet under his left thigh carefully, she relished in the heat before his sudden jolt startled her. Almost instantly the warmth retracted, simmering under his pores. A slight pout overtaking her lips while she stared at his wide, yet sleep-filled eyes. Of course, he would wake up from the sudden change in atmosphere, the boy always on edge while away from the guild.

"Sorry," He mumbled sheepishly, "Did I get too hot again? I didn't mea-"

"No, it's alright, I was just warming my toes." She cooed, interrupting his typical nervous ramblings. "Sorry I woke you."

"S'all right, wasn't sleeping that good anyway." He shifted in his seat, stretching his strong arms wide with a rough yawn before facing her again. His eyes trailed over the compartment quickly, stopping briefly on all the exit points. The door, the window, and the emergency exit placed snuggly between the roofs panels. His shoulders taking on their practiced tense state as he strained his hearing. Lucy could barely hold back the amused smirk that danced over her face when she saw his nose twitch. Her lips only pulling back wider as he continued his practiced motions, checking the surrounding area for any danger. The nose on that boy could beat that of trained hound any day.

"What, afraid the black wizard might get ya?" She teased, wiggling her fingers at him for emphasis.

Natsu only sighed embarrassingly, scratching at the side oh his throat. Subconsciously acting on his traditional nervous habit."Sorry, Stella always-"

"-Makes you nervous," She finished easily. "I know." She slid her feet deeper under his leg, adjusting until she felt comfortable again. His on edge behavior wasn't unusual when they traveled through Stella, always becoming an anxious mess that intensified greatly the closer they got. He never delved into details about it, always stomping her curiosity with a simple defense. _Just a bad feeling_. She could practically feel her eyes rolling, hearing his voice clearly pronounce the words in her head.

"Honestly, it makes me nervous too," Lisanna added on a whisper, sluggishly pushing herself up from her resting position. Delicate fingers brushing the sleep from her electric eyes. "After all, its where Zeref was born."

Zeref. The great black wizard. A mage trailed only by the stench of death, or so the legends say. Though he hadn't been sighted in years, his very name still struck fear into the hearts of mages and non-magic users alike. A young boy with the tongue of the devil. His very words a magic vice on your mind. He controlled what he wanted, and that was that. "They say he's immortal." The white-haired woman started again. "A blade couldn't pierce his heart."

Now Lucy's eyes really did roll in their sockets. "Please, your only going to rile him up more." She gestured over to Natsu who served her a practiced annoyed frown. "He'll be on edge until we hit Magnolia again."

Lissana giggled slightly, turning her attention to him. "Don't worry, nobody's seen him in years, it's nothing to stress over."

"Doesn't mean he's gone." He bounced back. "Regardless, there's enough to worry about in Stella with or without him." Lissana's brow arched, curiosity plain as she questioned the statement. "Stella's crawling with royal knights, it's the second base from the border of Bosco."

"I thought there was a ceasefire?" She pressed, to which Natsu scoffed.

"They won't stop until they find Mavis's grave."

"What do they want with the holy goddess?"

"Mavis was the first grand witch," Lucy interjected. "It's rumored her grave carry's the secret to eradicating all enchantments."

Lissana hummed in understanding. "So basically mages should be avoiding this area?" She laughed weekly, crossing her arms with lazy movements. "What a perfect place for us."

"If we keep our hoods up we should be fine," Lucy stated pointedly. "Stella's train station is the major rest point between Seven, Bosco, Iceberg and Joya, there's lots of travelers with new faces. Makes it pretty easy to blend in. Besides, nothing remotely bad has ever happened to us while traveling there. It'll be good to keep our wits about us, but Natsu's major anxiety is a little overkill."

"I just have-"

"A bad feeling?" She finished for him again, rather cheekily. "I know." She nudged him with the top of her foot at his exaggerated eye-roll. "I have no doubts we'll make it back just fine. Lissana peeled her legs from the front of the bench, pulling them upwards to rest her chin on her knee.

"Aren't you from Stella, Natsu?" The man grunted slightly, stiffening and sending the woman a warning look before granting a structured nod.

"Did you ever see him as a child? The black wizard I mean. I think he would have been a few years older, but still a child back then."

"No." His response blunt and harsh, pushed over his teeth. Lucy quirked a brow, scanning over Natsu intently. He crossed his arms at her curiosity, a blank statement that he wasn't planning on explaining the situation further. Lissana sighed, placing a hand under her delicate chin.

"Stella is where Gildarts found Natsu as a child." She explained to the blonde. "He grew up there."

"Come on Lissana." He hissed back. His arms twitching as they stretched over his chest.

"How come you never told me that?" Lucy pressed, fixated on the man's jittery movements. "I thought you didn't remember your childhood?"

"I remember bits and pieces." He slumped backward obnoxiously, deciding that he was definitely stuck in this conversation now. "I just never thought it was important."

"You know where I grew up." She defended shortly.

"Geeze," he scoffed at the blonde playfully. "Like that was a hard one, _Princess of Fiore." _

The blonde found herself pulling a pout. She wasn't trying to be rude, only holding genuine curiosity about her best friend's life before her. "Well, maybe we could stop at your childhood home before we leave? It would be nice to see where you grew up." Her face warming as she beamed at the boy.

"It doesn't exist anymore." The words forced roughly from his tongue. "I burned it down." She didn't miss the slight twitch of his shoulders, or the way his voice threatened to crack. He puffed out a _never mind_ before claiming he was getting some air, _the trains rattling my stomach_. A blunt end to their conversation. He was up in a single movement, pushing through the door and ignoring the wine of the sliding mechanics as it slammed back to its original closed resting state.

"Don't take it personally, Natsu's very protective of himself." Lissana tried, (as if Lucy didn't already know that) hopping over to sit next to the blonde. "I shouldn't have brought it up, I only know because I was there the day he arrived. I thought maybe he would have told you, finally opened up to somebody."

"Why would he open up to me? You've known him much longer."

Lissana huffed playfully, tossing her hair with a flick of her wrist. "Even I can see the way he looks at you, all doe-eyed and bashful. It's hard not to notice really."

"Natsu is anything but bashful." Lucy scoffed, giggling slightly. "Though I'm sure I could say the same for you."

"That's sweet of you to say," The fair-haired maiden flushed, "But I have my theories." Lucy stilled for a moment. Was she making a joke? Natsu had never pushed the boundaries that they had established over the years of their friendship, unlike he pushed for the fair-haired woman. Maybe it was because her feelings were so blatant, easy to play off of. Not to mention the comfort fo the family dynamic he shared with her siblings. It's not like she could find any reason she wouldn't want to notice casual pining in her direction, especially from somebody like him, any girl could dream of being so lucky. It was just that it didn't happen like that, and she didn't see any change for the future.

"You're ridiculous." She decided as a response, to which Lissana chuckled fondly. The rest of the trip remained rather silent, even after the dragon slayers return.

* * *

Meeting with the client went well, no arguments or concerns from the traveling wizard trio. The client himself was nothing out of the ordinary, a common man whose mother had been a successful wizard. Though he possessed no enchantment of his own, he held the secret of magic secure. The man owned a gracious amount of property in the city, majority of the population's homes falling on his land. Expressing his concerns for the people he bid the group luck as they headed to find the feverish bandit group that had been terrorizing them. Natsu didn't remove his face-concealing cloak, let alone speak during the whole exchange which only left the blonde wondering if he recognized the man from his childhood years. Unlikely as it was, she couldn't shake the suspicion; her friend's body language balancing on peculiar.

The bandit group, Twilight Oger (or so they called it.) had taken up residence in the city's abandoned mine. Converting the tunnels into a makeshift base. The group had established a rather daunting reputation with the city of Stella, the citizens growing too weary to attempt to run them out on their own. The royal guard batting an unusually blind eye. The rumor of their supposed sex trafficking didn't sit well with Lucy either. "We should set up a plan," Lissana suggested lightly. Her voice a much-needed contrast to the silence they had been walking in.

"Walk through the front doors and knock some heads."

Lucy shook her head playfully at the brash fire-breather, shoving his shoulder slightly. "I think we should split up," The peppy white-haired woman continued. "It would be easier to sneak around, a stealthy approach might be best considering we don't know how spread out in the tunnels they are."

"Also easier for one of us to get caught off guard. Aren't these thugs notorious for trapping woman?"

"You aren't traveling with common woman Natsu." The fair-haired woman retorted back. "Don't be so degrading, we can handle ourselves just fine." The peaceful smile she sported did little to sweeten her harsh words. Though Lucy found herself nodding slowly in agreement. "Plus it'll allow me to try out my new spell without you two getting in the way." She winked cheekily.

"I dunno," the dragon slayer mumbled, scratching at his throat in practiced fashion. "I really think we should stick together, I have a bad feeling about this place." Lucy could practically taste the anxiety of his words as they dripped over his chin. They should probably listen, Natsu's suspicions usually turned out to be right. But his overly annoying constant worrying from the city made it hard to distinguish his keen senses from his blind panic. _Nothing _ever happened to them in Stella. A nieve approach yes, but also a chance to prove herself to the man that always seems to protect her.

"I think it should be alright," the blonde finally interjected. "The tunnels should echo enough to hear one another if we call for help." Natsu simply shook his head muttering an annoyed _Whatever _under his breath. She felt kind of bad, gaining up on the man. This was supposed to be his birthday mission after all. But in all honestly, Lucy found herself surprisingly excited, an opportunity to show her teammate how far she'd advanced. A fully-fledged Fairy Tail member that could handle her own.

The group traveled to their destination at a quick pace. The air filled with Lissana's constant enamored pestering towards a certain Salamander. Lucy more distracted by the winding paths of the city's streets, decorated sporadically with aged trees and vegetation. She thought it was rather sweet, how well her two teammates were getting along. Even with Lissana's words on the way over. It was nice to see Natsu's pleased expression towards the woman. A long-time childhood friend and admirer. Though their newest member still bristled her, Lucy made a silent promise to invite her out with them more. It was nice to travel alongside another female, and if it made Natsu happy, then she was sure she could live with it.

The sun was beginning to set by the time they arrived, the night sky pouring out for its time to play. The stars blessing Lucy's soul, her magic vibrating deliciously under her skin. Her power almost doubling in the light of the night. The moon's shift was her favorite time to cast. As they stepped through the taped off mine entrance she could practically feel her excitement begin to bubble over. Traditionally she held a rather level head during missions, keeping her partner's explosive personality in check. Yet she found herself letting go, ready to show off her own power.

"I really think we should push through together," Natsu mumbled under his breath. The words so foreign on the rambunctious man's tongue; always ready to run ahead of the group in search of action, yet never far enough away that he couldn't protect those closest to him. It wasn't a secret that he was much stronger than his usual travel partner Lucy, but she didn't want him to feel obligated in protecting her when he already does so much.

"Come on, it'll be fun!" Lissana bubbled, already skipping off towards one of the winding shafts. Lucy's lips pulling into a smile as she began following her lead towards another turn-off.

"Lucy." Her name pronounced like rocks on cement, jaded and sharp. She spun on her heel carefully, her smile falling at the dragon slayer's serious tone.

"I can take care of myself Natsu." She mused. "You don't need to hold my hand all the time."

A low grumble resounded in the boy's throat as he ran his rough fingers through spiked locks nervously. "Geeze Luce, I know I don't." She raised her eyebrow at his cautious tone. "It's just.. last time you were on your own I found you beaten half to death in the middle of the forest."

All mocking aside, Lucy felt her temper skyrocket. Of course, he didn't think she was capable. "I'm not a fragile little princess anymore. That was years ago." She spat, anger boiling over. "You don't need to save me all the time."

"I know, I know... I just want you to be careful. Sometimes you have trouble keeping your magic under control during the night."

"Like you're one to talk, you burn everything around you the second your emotions get out of wack." Internally she knew her anger was getting the better of her, words falling from her jaw faster then her mind could process. He was just worried about her, as a caring teammate should be. The pained expression he was now wearing only verified that fact. Mindlessly her fingers began fidgeting at her belt. Her lungs pushing her spitfire attitude out with a breathy exhale. "I'm sorry Natsu, that was uncalled for. I shouldn't have said that. I'm just excited is all. I'll be careful, I promise." Natsu's deep onyx gaze burned into her for a moment before he nodded, although reluctant, it was an agreement none the less. She reached out, squeezing his wrist confidently before turning back to face her chosen path. "You be careful too! Mira will surly cut off my head if I bring you home needing more stitches."

* * *

The forgotten shafts were confusing, to say the least. The floorplan coming across as sporadic and unplanned. There was little that argued what a great hideout it made, trapping its victims in a maze until they were prayed upon by vicious _ogres_. The lack of security flowing down the halls only proving that their targets felt the same way. Lucy had only run into two men along the way, their skills lacking, making it an easy victory for the blonde. The lack of scream's echoing offered that her teammates were fairing the same. Even with their earlier agreement that stealth was the best option, Natsu had never been the quiet/silent type. Especially when fired up in a battle. Either the mine shafts didn't share sound as good as Lucy had estimated, or he hadn't run into anyone just yet.

The must that surrounded her intensified greatly as she progressed, the smell practically suffocating her. Senses dampened by its nature. The only sound around her was the clack of boots connecting to the rocky earth, and the creaky hinge of the lantern strung to her hip. The ground becoming less and less traveled. It was peculiar really, with the placement of the mine so central to town. One would think at least a few curious teenagers would have come to poke around before rumors had sprouted about Twilight ogres appearance. And yet her footprint's were the only evidence of human life.

Groaning loudly, Lucy spun, heading back towards the entrance. Agitated that her luck pulled her towards one of the unused routes. Expectedly her group had already rounded up majority of their targets while she wandered around uselessly. Placing her palm to her forehead she let out an embarrassed huff. All her big talk was for nothing, the harsh tone she had used against her friend making her mood plummet even farther. All she could do now was pick up her pace and hope she could make herself helpful with tying up loose ends. Lucy always hated when jobs turned out this way, especially when Natsu insisted she collected her portion of the reward despite her actual effort. Not that it mattered today, this mission was supposed to be for Natsu after all. And truthfully after Lissana had decided to join them she had done nothing to make the trip enjoyable for her pink-haired friend. Silently she promised to the empty halls that she would apologize to him when they finished their job.

When Lucy rounded the corner back to the entrance she was debating which tunnel to follow. Pacing back and forth in front of Natsu's entrance before resolving that his nose probably led him exactly where he wanted to go. With quick steps she bounded down the winding hall's, trying her best to stay along the path of the firebreathers signature sandal footprints.

A scream that caused her blood to run cold echoed around her with striking prominence. Lissana's sweet tone coming across shrill and ragged. There wasn't a moment to process before Lucy's legs propelled her forward. The sound of angelic sobs guiding her path. Any and all excitement she had previously been consumed with smothered like a candle without oxygen. The shaft began to blossom with light as she rounded each corner, the weight barring planks becoming more and more re-enforced. If that wasn't already enough clues she was approaching the center of the base, the newly constructed grand entrance that appeared before her did.

Acting quickly, Lucy pressed herself against the corner of the doorframe, analyzing the situation before charging headstrong into the commotion. Obviously, the treacherous group had put some work in. The cavern dugout to be much larger than anything man-made underground should be. Large metal lanterns decorating the ceiling with patterned placement. Casting enough light to see, but not enough to dismiss the eerie atmosphere. Small beds, makeshift furniture and gang members coating the outer walls while the center remained bare. Except of course for the probable main event of their evening.

A rugged-looking man stood center a wooden stage-like platform. Greasy hair curling over knarled shoulders. Even in the dim light, Lucy couldn't miss the disgusting gleam of the man's golden teeth. Oh so typical of a rich bandit. But what really caught her off guard was the squirming woman entrapped by his rugged arms, top strewn aside leaving her covered only in lacy white undergarments. His chapped lips smirking into her cheek while he pinned her against his bare chest. His one hand prying dirty fingers into her supple mouth while the other pressed a rusty blade to her exposed stomach. Though not enough pressure to break skin, it was just enough to make Lucy's mouth run dry.

"Let her go." Natsu's enraged voice scrapped over every surface, demanding attention from all living things. Lucy cast her eyeline off to the side, finally noting her partner's presence. His clothes looked slightly battle-torn, but overall he looked un-worrisome. His expression was firm, lips drawn into a tight line while his eyes trained on the enemy standing before him. Even from her placement on the other side of the cavern, Lucy could feel the scorching waves roll off of him. A terrifying might in the face of adversity.

"What are you going to do about it fire boy?" The man's shrill voice causing Lucy to shiver. "Even if you get rid of us, more will come. Those royal soldiers are very _eager_ customers. And there's plenty of women to go around here." Natsu lunged forward, feet indenting the ground with sheer pressure. The man howled playfully, cackling like a madman as he sidestepped out of harm's way. Lissana squeaking at the sudden movement." Natsu spun quickly, fang-like teeth bared while he coiled his muscles, ready for his next pounce. "Make a move like that again and I might have to carve up your little girlfriend early!' The blade against her stomach pressed deeper, causing Lissana to jolt, a high pitched screech crawling between the man's fingers. A sloppy line of red spilling from her torso down the hilt of the blade. Natsu looked frozen, his eyes never daring to stray from the glint of metal. Mind fighting with his anger to consider the safest course of action.

_Shit shit shit_. This was definitely not how Lucy had expected to reunite with her teammates. Instantly her fingers shot into the confines of her purse, searching desperately for the lone piece of white chalk she always carried. Mind racing dangerously through her memorized incantations. Though her magic wasn't necessarily designed for hand to hand combat like Natsu's, she held a natural talent for spellcasting. Confident that she was capable of at least making a big enough distraction for Natsu to proceed, she started scratching the lines of a practiced magic circle. The white of the chalk easily visible over the dark rock beneath her. Her frantic hand movements made the lines far less legible then she preferred, but it would do for now. The blonde dropped her weight to the floor, careful in her attempt to stay silent as she crossed her legs. Delicate palms slapping against the earth over her created circle. Her eyelids slamming shut in concentration while her lips parted for the whisper of incantation. Almost instantly the very ground beneath them shook with purpose, guiding cracks up the walls and spewing rocks from the ceiling. She didn't worry about frightening her teammates, she knew Natsu could smell her, even with his focus concentrated elsewhere. Hopefully, they could get this situated and escape to safety before she brought heaven's wrath down atop their heads. The spell itself was no easy feat, calling upon the gods light to alter the earth. Lucy only capable of casting it under the light of the moon. No doubt it would bring attention from the townsfolk their way, but at this moment the blonde thought it was the best course of action. She could feel the shudder under her legs as the shafts hidden deeper under the earth collapsed, the roaring sound of rockfall scattering through the cavern.

Natsu's strong tone carried over easily as he sneered cheekily, "Now you really fucked up. Gone and made the angel mad." Even in deep concentration, Lucy felt a smile drum at her lips.

"I already knew there was three of you. We thieves hear of all magic activity in Stella. She's no threat, pesky fairies lack the resolve to drop the ground over the heads of their _'comrades'_."

"Bet." The dragon slayer's singular cocky reply sang like a choir to Lucy, pushing her magic to expand outwards. A sickening crack bestowed over them, one of the main support beams snapping under pressure. The scared cries of _ogres_ screaming far louder. The blond's brow furrowed slightly as she felt her very skin vibrate, her magic fluctuating drastically. "You're okay Lucy." Natsu's voice rang true, obviously taking notice in her power surge. Yes, she was O.K. She wouldn't falter so easily when her friend's lives were on the line. She just had to keep the main cavern intact a little longer, enough time for them to escape. She was strong, and she could do it.

The man continued to cackle hysterically, bouncing his weight between his feet. "Bad move fire boy." He taunted. All Lucy could hear was Lissana's blood curtailing wail and Natsu's panicked shouts when she realized they had lost. Her lashes fluttered open, eyes rolling uncomfortably as her vision was obstructed by blinding light. She couldn't stop. She was losing control, just as her partner had foreseen. Her own magic blinding her sight.

"Lucy!" Natsu's worried screech reached from the main cavern. "Cut the fuse!" A pit burned its way into the depths of her stomach, fear of how this situation was going to end if she couldn't regain control. All she had wanted to do was help, and now the situation was only going to get worse. Splinters of support beams rained furiously over her, enraged with being disturbed after so many silent years. She felt her body shake with the earth's pure ferocity. "Please, Lucy!" He tried again, his voice swirling with Lissana's wild screams. She still couldn't stop. She was going to kill them all.

Lucy wasn't sure how many agonizingly slow minutes had passed when her vision finally re-focused, disturbingly strong hands clamping around her delicate wrist's and pulling her back to earth. And god, what an unpleasant sight to be greeted with. Two men that reeked of whiskey and sex smirking greedily at her.

"You's a pretty scary witch when you're casting, eyes going all white and shit. Body twitching like an addict." Lucy scrambled back frantically, her spine slamming into the stone arch. The men leaping upon her with a timed pounce, pinning her tightly against the frame. The first man stretching his fingers around her chin. "But yet, your so pretty. I'd have fun breaking a little thing like you." His alcohol glazed tongue searing along her creamy cheek. Lucy screeched vividly in disgust, springing her knee upwards to the man's groin. He recoiled with blunt movements, swinging his arm around to backhand her. The ferocity splitting her skin. "You sly bitch!" He fired another shot to her jaw. "You's makin' enemies with the wrong person." She tried to pry her head away from the man's violent swings, eyes scrambling to take in her surroundings. Small pebbles and dust still gave way from the ceiling, but the ground seemed to have relaxed, her magic cut out at the roots. The tunnel she had originally traveled down lay in ruin, barley leaving enough space for a full-grown adult to crawl back to the light. Thankfully though, the traumatizing screams had stopped, Natsu's much calmer voice the only thing ringing out.

"You okay Lucy?!"

If the blonde hadn't received another painful blow to her lower lip she probably would have snickered. "A little preoccupied at the moment." She grunted, purposely spitting the blood that was pooling around her gums over her assailant's face. She bucked her legs intently, thrashing around like a child until she freed one of her arms. With a sinched brow she slammed her palm over the first man's chest, muttering a simple incantation that caused her hand to pulse. Holy light rained down again, this time pin-pointed above her enemy's lungs and flinging him backward through the semi-demolished doorway and into the main cavern. A short victory smile produced from her mouth before she felt her body tremor. A light, yet firm reminder of how much magic she had just finished exerting, and how fragile it made her body.

Sucking in a deep breath she tried to muster strength from tomorrow, using her free hand to claw into the dirt. Muscles protesting annoyingly while she pulled herself away from the remaining man. "Not so fast _witch_." His tone twisting the word to sound like a vulgar insult. The hilt of his own blade striking into the round bone of her ankle. A torn wail exhaled from her, reacting to the pain but thanking the heavens that she hadn't heard the crack of her bones splitting. It wasn't much, but it gave the man an opening, tucking his legs in only to spring them out into her back. Shoving her ungracefully through the frame to join the rest of the crowd. Lucy cradled her ribs carefully, attempting to regain the air that man had so rudely ripped away from her. She was only able to catch a glimpse of her dragon slayers unreadable expression before more greedy hands tore her from the ground, dragging her center-stage to join the 'show'.

"Well fire boy, I suppose thanks are in order." The leader mewled again tapping his now _drenched_ blade against a whimpering Lissana's torso. "Bringing me two of the most beautiful woman in Fiore and barely puttin up a fight to keep them." He was taunting now, voice never losing his deranged laughter. "Don't know why to maidens of this caliber are slugging around with someone like you, but I guess I should give you a little credit," Natsu growled darkly, his body growing tenser (If that was even possible), muscles coiling dangerously. The leader followed Lucy with hungry eyes, watching as Lucy was strung up by another man in the same manner as Lissana. The only difference was the blade pushing fearfully hard against the pulse point of her throat, leaving her stomach out of harm's way. Honestly, she wasn't sure which she would prefer more. She watched Natsu's dark anguish filled orbs bounce back and forth between her and Lissana. She tried to capture his attention, pleading with him by expression that everything was going to be alright. That he should focus on the more injured of the two and leave her to her own devices, but his glance never lasted long enough. "I know!" The leader piped up again excitedly. "It seems a little unfair to steal away both your girls after that pathetic display," He toyed, "So, how about I suggest a little game?"

"I ain't playing shit." Natsu responded bluntly.

"Don't be such a downer fire boy, this will be fun."

"Every time I hear that, things don't usually end up being that 'fun'." He spat. relaxing his tight fist momentarily before clenching it again.

The leader only smiley devilishly, continuing his frantic knife tapping over Lissana's stained skin. "I'm going to let you pick one." He decided. "Pick a girl to take home while one rots away under some pompous sex-deprived guard." The look on Natsu's face practically shattered Lucy's heart. One of absolute horror that something like that had even been offered to him. His singular broken reply of _sick bastard_ weighing heavily on the limited oxygen.

"It's okay Natsu," Lucy offered dumbly, wincing when the tip of the blade punctured her skin. Hot thick liquid oozing down her neck, threatening to break her resolve. "Take Lissana out of here, I'll be alright." She tried to produce a weak smile but Natsu's sad cold eyes froze her as he shook his head. She gulped loudly, feeling the blade press deeper with her every word. Her captor obviously not pleased with her speech. "Please." She tried again, but Natsu only shook his head faster.

"No way in hell."

"This is so not the time to be stubborn." She retched, cringing at the sticky feeling coating over her chest. She tried to ask him again but the blade slid uncomfortably under her skin and all she could summon was strangled yelp. Surprisingly, it did nothing to help the exchange.

The dragon slayer's eyes bulged, raising his arm's defensively, voice frantic and lost. "Stop!" He yelled, "Don't hurt them anymore, give me a second to think!" She had never seen the man look so uncomfortable.

Lucy slammed her eyes shut at her holders' increasingly wild movements, jerking the blade against her without a care. "This is ridiculous lover boy," The leader spat over his laughter. "I, out of the goodness of my own heart offer you back one of the women you practically dropped in my lap. And you cant even decide which pussy you'd rather ride? Pathetic!" He hollered, the rest of his goon's joining in. "I'm good and bored now, you sucked all the fun out of this. I don't even need these girls!" At this point, it was hard to distinguish words through his manic howls. "You have three seconds before I just kill them both." Natsu's attention snapped back to him like his mind was finally processing the events that were about to unfold.

The cold-hearted cheering of a slow count sprouted from the other members. Starting at _Three_ and barley pronouncing the _O_ in _One _before all hell broke loose. The roaring sound of metal clad boots slamming into the earth above, signaling the _extremely overdue_ arrival of the royal army. Bandits screaming and crawling over one another like wild animals in search of escape from a rabid predator. And Natsu's scalding shoulder crashing into her sternum, throwing her away from the wicked man's grasp. She rolled roughly against the dirt, hand shooting to her throat to pressurize the bleeding. She was gulping greedily for air when she heard the stomach flipping joyful voice cry out above the commotion. "Good choice! I think I would have picked her too." Nothing but freezing, blood-curdling cries followed. Lucy felt her limbs stiffen at the sound, her chocolate irises the only responsive part of her body. Taking in her horrific environment with shocking detail. Natsu was only a few steps away from Lissana, His body recovering quickly from surging towards her, propelling him back to the remaining prisoner. But a few steps was a few too many, and Lucy and her partner could do nothing but watch as their friend was quite literally gutted before them.

Blood had always been red. But nothing compared to the deep scarlet pooled around the stark white of Lissana's being. An enraged bloody titan plucking the clouds goddess right from the sky and dragging her to the fiery pits of hell. That is, if hell consisted of somebody shredding your torso to smithereens and hysterically laughing as vital organs spewed through the skin. Lucy was sure that in this world, nothing would ever hold a candle to the vile scene displayed before her. The grotesque sound of a lifeless body crashing limply over its inner parts. The ferocious roar of a wounded dragon casting thieves to scaper away, a high pitched squeal on their lips. All the while a daunting march of hungry war men encroached on them.

Lucy's head snapped painfully back to reality. They couldn't stay here, the army would swallow them alive. The _Ogres_ were sprinting out of a tunnel near the back of the cavern, no doubt another way out laid beyond it. They still had a chance. With a silent prayer to all that was holy, she pulled herself up from her shambled mess on the floor. Taking rushed staggered footsteps towards her partner and the offending carcass in front of him. "Natsu..." She croaked. "We need to get out of here." She rested her palm on his shoulder, placing most of her weight on him. Her ankle lacking in its career of helping her walk. He didn't seem to notice her. Lips quivering as he muttered under his breath, fingers twitching, coated in the blood he had tried to prevent. "Natsu, we need to go..." She tried again, giving the man a light shake.

"We can't just leave her here..." His broken cry pleaded, head-spinning to meet her gaze. Never, in all the years Lucy had known Natsu, had she seen him cry. His deep onyx eyes swimming with salty tears, his raging passion extinguished. Her stong motivator completely shattered before her, frantically attempting to scoop spilled organs back into a frayed body. The footsteps of soldiers drawing ever closer as her own tears spilled over.

"Please Natsu." She sobbed, gaging slightly as blood bubbled from the split in her throat. She thought his previous expression succeeded in breaking her heart, but the look he was giving her now practically split it in two. A mangled pain-ridden yell erupting from his chest while he grasped Lucy's wrist, dragging her away from their murdered friend and the on slot of guards that inadvertently let it happen.

* * *

_Holy wow that was a hefty one... I told you Lissana would play a big role this chapter, please don't hate me lol_

_This chapter was actually the idea that caused me to write this whole story. Originally when I first started writing, the story started after her death. But I pictured it so vividly I just had to write about it! Also, you may have noticed I changed Lucy's magic, this was always my intention as I have never really been a fan of her magic / As of now, I am planning to add a few celestial spirits to her arsenal, just not all of them._

_I changed this story's rating from T to M. Sorry for the inconvenience, I just thought it was getting a little gory, and I may want to include some sexual content in the future if that's something people are into?_

_And lastly, if there are any bad grammatical errors please let me know and I will try to fix it quickly! English isn't my first language so I am still learning, if the descriptive words sound a little repetitive, that's also the reason lol! Hope you enjoy, let me know what you think :)_


	5. Three: The Smoke That Smells Of Greif

_Welcome back :) I finally had a little time to write again! Don't hate, I know I'm truly awful with consistent updates._

_I don't own Fairy Tail. All rights reserved to Hiro Mashima._

* * *

_Royal Announcement_

_The royal court is pleased to announce the arrival of Fiore's newest heir, Princess Lucy Heartfilia. Born just after sunrise on the 37th day of summer, a healthy and glowing baby girl. Brown eyes and glorious blonde hair, just like her mother. King and Queen Heartfilia invite the public to share in their happiness and rejoice in the name of Lucy._

_Central Fiore Newsletter / 768_

* * *

_**788**_

The wind was vicious that morning, tearing through the knarled streets of Stella without mercy. Lucy was sure the raw skin of her cheeks would soon crack from the terrifying force and the wicked chill. She had never liked the wind, it was annoying and wild to say the very least. But today, she stood without complaint. Mother Nature was lashing out, heartbroken by the death of her daughter, a sky goddess. She had a right to be mad, and her anger was excused. And Lucy decided that her opinion on what she hated and what she loved was very askew, if not evidence enough by the cigarette perched on her lip. She had stolen a few from Natsu's extra pack, the one tucked discreetly at the bottom of his bag. Hidden, because he told Lucy he didn't smoke as much as he really did. It was probably so she didn't worry, which she definitely did, so maybe he was right to do so. Hopefully, he wouldn't be to upset about parting with three.

Natsu's cigarettes were nice. He rolled them himself, with extream care, and chared a symbol of a flame on every filter. He said it was so he could tell them apart from Grey's, back when they were forced to share a room after bursting pipes flooded the guild. Yet even now, years after parting with his _roommate_, he still took the time to do it. They reminded her of the ones her father used to smoke, so maybe he just wanted to smoke something that felt luxurious. Regardless, the warm burn she felt in her chest on every inhale was arguably the only thing keeping her grounded to reality. It told her that yes, she was breathing. And yes, she was alive.

They had decided to spend the night in a forgotten and long-abandoned apartment building near the edge of town. Natsu said they looked _far too skittish and ragged_ to waltz into a public inn. He was right of course, the whole townscape was alive and rabid after all the excitement the previous evening. The building wasn't so bad either, lack the smell of rotted wood and soaked cement. They had lucked out, finding a room with neglected furniture and a somewhat working bathroom sink and, much to Natsu's excitement, a sealed jar of moonshine. The apartment was small and rather bizarrely laid out. A hall winding around the abandoned rooms like an ominous mazed shell. The drain located in the kitchen sink smelled of bloated decomposing and the bathroom was a ghastly shade of green that Lucy was sure, shouldn't exist. But, it was somewhat warm and out of the evening rain, so really, she couldn't complain. The 'bedroom' had a weird octagonal shape and held nothing but a singular partly disintegrated mattress shoved against the far wall. The grungy bathroom with the working sink was linked with a doorless frame to the left of the one leading into the bedroom. To the right was a door-styled window that opened to a small rust ridden deck. That's where Lucy was now, shivering against the malicious wind and pretending she wasn't cold. Puffing away on a cigarette that looked so out of place in her hand while she tried not to cry. The more she tried to wrap her head around last night's awful adventure, the more it felt like some sick hallucinated joke over anything real. With a final exaggerated exhale Lucy flicked the defeated roll of tobacco over the terrace railing, leaning heavily on it and losing herself in the cryptic groan the metal gave while she watched it fall. She didn't know what to do, her usually organized mind was spinning in her skull and her thoughts came out of order in relentless spurts. The image of Lissana's blood soaking into the dirt packed earth did nothing but jar repressed memories of her mother. Memories of the day she hadn't listened to her warning and glanced back while running through the crowd. Memories of that disgustingly prominent guillotine blade slicing her head clean off and soaking the earth with her blood just the same. It even sounded the same, the tearing of human flesh. The thought churned her stomach roughly and forced a violent gag. The burning laceration at the side of her throat pulling in a very dreadful way, which in turn did very little to help sway her thoughts from where they were currently stationed.

She had been drowning in her own brain from the moment they arrived at their _camp _late last night, and she was sure she wouldn't be free to stop anytime soon. Replaying all her actions, trying to see what she could have done better. The answer to that was a whole hell of a lot, starting at the beginning when she ignored Natsu's rightly nervous warnings. He was always right about these things, she should have listened. This, though, also caused agitation, because how could somebody that had practical cabbage for brains always be right. She prided herself on her intellect, but her _street skills_ were becoming a chronically flunked elective. And there Natsu would be to prove her wrong, standing strong and ready to save the day. Only this time, he didn't. And everything was mixed and upside down.

Her throat burned, and Lucy had to stagger herself to withhold the childish whine. Natsu's stitches were a downright hack job, pulling at her skin in gruesome ways. She now understood why Mira got so pent up when he tried to mend himself. To be fair, he had practically begged her not to force his hand. His eyes had been so dark, almost black when she told him that he had too. She couldn't do it herself, vision already wavering from either head trauma or the obvious blood loss. _"I can't do this to you." _He had protested. Sitting there looking like a beaten child with a thick, blunt and rather dull sewing needle gripped between his two fingers. He had scavenged it from the moldy kitchen, along with a long thread he had torn from the moth ridden couch. The jar of moonshine popped open to drench his fingers and tools. Her small first aid pouch lost somewhere in the mine. _"I'm going to bleed out." _She had retorted bluntly. To which, he said. _"It's going to hurt." _While taking a jarring swig of the moonshine pot, and managing to keep his expressive features schooled from the taste. She figured dying of blood loss would be far worse and sat herself on the green and white checkered floor beside him. Crawling between his somewhat spread legs(as far as the cramped bathroom would allow) and resting so her back was on his chest. The first stitch was brutal, the needle getting caught on her skin in all the wrong ways. She bit down on his bicep to keep from screaming, just like he had instructed. Her mouth tasted of iron, her teeth piercing his skin, but he didn't complain so she didn't either. Natsu sometimes grunted disapprovingly from behind her. His trembling hands trying to soothe her with circles on her back. It didn't get any easier, by the fifth stitch she was a teary mess, and she could have sworn she felt the shudder of Natsu's chest while he choked back his own sobs.

They hadn't spoken much since then. The night was silent, Lucy curled up alone on the mattress and Natsu hunched over on the terrace. K_eeping watch, _he had told her while wrapping her up in his favorite traveling blanket. One Mira had knitted him after hearing he had arrived at the guild with nothing. The yarn was well worn, and matted in places. Three (clearly sewn on by Natsu) patches were situated on the lower half. But it was clean and smelt like him. Volcanic ash and spiced cinnamon, clashing with rain-forest mist and sap drizzled bark. Only on the exhale could you taste the mint, and not once did the sensation lack in its delivery of peace. He didn't sleep at all that night, she knew because she didn't either. Nor did he do much _watching, _instead he spent the dark hours studying his boots, the ones he had traded his mud-caked sandals for. He didn't look up once and she knew it was because the night sky was ruined for him. His glorious moon had fallen and now the sky held only black.

When the sun's rays had barley scraped over the landscape Natsu stood, stretched briefly before darting inside. Lucy pushed herself up upon his arrival, hoping he was coming to help talk her through what her mind couldn't digest. That wasn't his goal though, as he informed her he was heading out to meet the client. _He owes us a reward, _he informed. She pleaded with him not to go, that it wasn't worth it and the job was a lost cause. He looked about ready to explode and said _"The gang is gone. We did what he asked. And I'm getting that fucking book."_ Short and to the point, then he was out the door, nearly slipping on the edge of his cloak in hurry. That was four hours ago and the cold had already numbed her skin to the pain and lost its distracting effect. Lucy was worried, and if he didn't show up soon she was sure to do something rash. She lit the last of her three cigarettes, relishing in the spin it gifted her head and the sour taste that burned her throat.

Several minutes passed before his cloaked frame rounded the street corner and Lucy inhaled deeply again, trying to let her heart palpitations slow. He stopped just before the front doors, staring at her from his spot on the cobble path two stories lower. His eye's fixated at the cigarette in her fingers. He gave his head a meaningful shake before heading in, it was only seconds before she heard his boots thunking across the hall's floorboards. She crept back through the bedroom window, meeting him as he emerged through the door.

"That's a pretty nasty habit you've picked up?"

His _almost_ cheerful sounding remark caught her off guard, not that his constantly changing emotions didn't always. She raised her brow at him, sealing the windowed entrance behind her to cut off the colds connection. He looked worse than when he left, covered in mud and sporting a new gash on his brow with a matching set on his lower lip. She always hated when it was his face that got beaten.

"How did it go?" She chose to bat, ignoring his observation. She knew he noticed the way she was eyeing his new injury's, he chose to ignore that too.

"Fine. I got the book." Her eye's widened a fraction but she didn't ask to see it. The very idea of it seemed distasteful for the moment, the words to heavy for her tongue. "Are you feeling alright? Your flushed." His quick flip of the subject had again taken her off guard. She wasn't sure if it was because of the cold or because she really didn't feel that well, the irking feeling her throat was infected constantly pestering her. Or maybe it was the way his deep orbs lingered a little too long on her face, all concern and no lust that caused her to redden more. It was fact that no other man in her entire life had ever looked at her with such respect. She might have told him so, if not for the tremendously awful situation they were trapped in. He stepped towards her, placing the back of his hand to her forehead and retracting it quickly. "Jesus Lucy you're freezing!" Yeah, maybe it was just the temperature that caused her cherry coloring. "How long were you outside?"

"How did you get those?" She bounced back, gesturing to his newly sported lacerations. Natsu grunted in frustration and shook his head, taking hold of her shoulders and guiding her to sit on the mattress. He sat behind her, wrapping his sculpted arms around her frame and warming his skin until Lucy felt she was being held down by a radiator. She could tell he wanted to leave, getting home was at the very top of his priority list. But she knew he wouldn't push until he deemed her warm and well enough for travel.

"It's chaotic out there, got into a bit of a scuff. S'fine." He partly explained.

"Did anybody die?"

"No. Wasn't that bad."

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah."

"Okay."

They were quiet for a minute, listening only to one another's breathing. She missed when Natsu was younger, like when she had just met him. He couldn't keep a secret, and he most certainly wouldn't be vague like this. Wanting to spill the story so he wasn't alone in dealing with it, that it was in someone else's head too. More recently he seemed to internalize everything, and this was no exception.

"I was only outside for a bit." One shabby answer for another.

"Bullshit, you're freezing."

"It's summer."

"It's freezing."

"Yeah."

Silence for another beat.

"You shouldn't do that, you could get frostbite."

Lucy ignored him then, swiveling herself so she was facing him. Their noses were practically touching, she could feel his warm breath and spy every freckle that danced over the slope of his nose. A sigh escaped her as she scrounged up the courage to ask what they were both thinkings. "What do we do when we're home?"

"I don't know."

"Okay."

His expression then reminded her of the time she had caught him and Lissana sneaking off together after Elfman's birthday. It was the same expression he wore when she tried to kiss him out behind the greenhouses. The scene had been romantic if she recalled properly. Low sunsets and blossom petals scattering over the FairyTail grounds like a soothing aura. He had been drinking, Lucy could tell from her spot behind the farthest gardening shed. Maybe he had simply been too tipsy to notice her approach with that hound nose, or maybe he just didn't care. His eyes were blown wide like her family's holiday dinner plates, watching as a bashful Lissana perched on the tips of her toes, snagging her fingers on his signature scarf and pulling him down to meet her lips. His eye's closed only momentarily before he shifted back some, gently staggering to put some space between their lips. _"What are you doing?"_ She had asked him. And there, that was the same face he was wearing now, as if the brain behind his onyx eyes had melted away. An empty skull playing an act. _"I don't know." _He said just the same.

And they sat in that silence for a while, until Natsu decided she looked alive enough to go, or that she looked too bad to stay any longer. Her throat was definitely infected, and she felt like a man clawing through withdrawal. But she knew her dragon would get her home safely and she closed her eyes and let him gather their things. She must have walked with him to the station, but the rest of their travel was mostly a blur from there.

* * *

Their treck home from magnolia station very much reminded Lucy of her first encounter with Natsu, strung up across his chest, incased in his rigid arms while he carried her with ease. Her conscious state somewhat unreliable. Though back then, his expression hadn't been so grim and his shoulder's hadn't been so tense. The tear in his brow had re-opened slightly over their walk, a line of red slowly drawing down the edge of his face. She had watched it drip patiently, over the edge of his cheekbones and down his cheek until it dipped under his jaw and she had to turn away. Seeing his blood always pained something in her she'd rather ignore. She wished he would whisper calming words against her cheek like he had last time. She still couldn't remember the words he spoke, but the feeling of calm had stayed with her all these years. But he didn't, not even a glance her way. And Lucy decided that if this was a new beginning like it was back then, she didn't like it at all. She closed her eyes and hoped her swaying brain would help her forget it.

Their arrival back home didn't pan to be something she wanted to remember either. Apparently Lissana had been very vocal about going on a job with Natsu, and their guildmates had been quick to notice her absence in their return. They all poured out questions of her whereabouts, and why they looked so sick and beaten. But Natsu didn't answer, so Lucy didn't either. He kept his line of sight true as he marched her up to the infirmary, where thankfully it was only Porlyusica on shift. She didn't ask too many questions, only made comment to tell them _moonshine is an awful disinfectant _and _these stitches are horrendous but they probably saved her life_. Lucy was just thankful Mira wasn't back yet and working today, she just wasn't sure if she'd be able to look at her yet. Natsu stayed with her just long enough for Porlyusica to say she would be fine in a few days with the proper medication and rest. Almost as soon as she finished speaking he was out the door mumbling that he was going off to tell the headmaster the mission report. Lucy begged with him to wait, that she would go with him, but he wouldn't. And for hours after, the castle's walls rang with the cries of their substitute father.

Lucy was put on bed rest for no less than a week. She was cleaned thoroughly and re-stiched with skilled hands. Natsu had been completely resistful about his own medical care and had waited in the hall for Porlyusica to finish with her tasks. After that though, he perched himself at the foot of her bed and didn't leave until she was permitted to do so as well. Sneaking in cigarettes to smoke when the nurses changed shift. And for every night following her release, he did the same, sleeping against her wall at the foot of her dorm bed. It was like he was watching her, scared that if he looked away she would disappear too. His whole personality had been turned down about twelve notches, his internal fire seemed so smothered. She was never alone anymore, constantly coddled by him. And though she appreciated his constant presence and care, it grinded her a little that he wouldn't even spare her a walk alone through the grounds. Silently following her just out of range.

Another week and a half passed before Mira, Elfman, and Laxus returned from their job. Lucy had woken to Natsu pacing her room rather frantic. His hair spiked from stressful finger snags and his scarf strained over his shoulders while he pulled. "Are you okay?" She mumbled, her throat raspy with sleep. Her voice seemed to startle him, causing him to turn slightly and whip his head around to face her. Eye's wide and shoulder's flexed. This in itself was strange, for Natsu, with his uncanny scenes, wasn't one to be caught off guard. He shook his head slightly, running his hands through his hair once more before taking a seat atop her desk.

"Mira and Elfman got back this morning." He mumbled, scuffing his sandal on the floor.

"Oh." His announcement turned her stomach, metaphorically mangling her insides and shrinking her ribcage until the air felt thin.

She nodded towards him slightly, pulling a pack from her bedside table. He practically ripped it from her hand, mumbling that is "Wasn't good for her." before lighting one for himself. He then kicked the edge of her dresser to his front, swearing loudly and moving to fidget with his hair again. Lucy let out a stifled exhale and curled in on herself, tucking her legs against her chest and wrapping them with her arms. Natsu never acted like this, like a child having a tantrum. This is the Natsu that frightened her the most, when he was careless and frantic. He was already impulsive on a good day, and it regularly got him in trouble. So this was only a time bomb in the making. Once his dark eye's met hers again they softened almost instantly. "I'm sorry, just kinda stressed out I think."

Lucy was careful in her approach, sliding across the bed to stand next to him. She slipped her arms under his, around his chest and pulled him close in a loose hug. She rested her chin on his shoulder and laced her fingers at the nape of his neck, twisting his pink locks around his finger. "Do they know yet?" She whispered, keeping up her ministrations when he stiffened significantly.

"No, they're in Gramp's office waiting on me now."

"Oh..." She spewed again. She pulled away from him slightly, resting her forehead on his for a moment. "Just let me get dressed, I'll come down with you."

She turned away from him in the direction of her closet, but he grabbed her wrist, holding her in place. "I don't know how to do this again." His words barely slipped out under his breath. A simply broken statement from a broken man.

It was true this wasn't the first time he had reported such awful news to the Strauss siblings. He had told Lucy once before that when he was younger, Lissana had begged him to take her out on a job. He asked Mira for her permission, but she evidently had said no, that she wasn't ready to go off on a job with a kid that always got into trouble and constantly snuck out on jobs that were far to high in ranking for his skill level. Natsu being the stubborn child he was though, stole a job request with a senior rank and took little Lissana along. As expected, the enemy was far superior and bested them quickly. Natsu lost Lissana in the commotion, and after days of desperate searching, he had to give in. Thankfully Laxus found her almost half a year later while traveling home.

"When they heard the news Elfman cried for days, I thought it would never end, it was awful." The dragon slayer shook his head again, finally offering her a hit of his cigarette with an apologetic look for his earlier reaction. "Mira though, I'll never forget it. It's like I could see her heart shatter through her eyes. I wanted her to yell and scream, to get mad or something, I felt so guilty but she didn't." He tossed Lucy a look filled with such pain and anguish, one that should never have melted over his structured face. "She just held me for hours, kept telling me it wasn't my fault and that everything would be okay, she even smiled at me. And for months after, she had these awful nightmares where she would cry out for Lissana, and god the sound, I swear I can still hear it sometimes."

"Natsu..." The blonde tried to console, "You were just a child, it was an accident." She tried to squeeze his hand in comfort but he pulled away, sliding from the edge of her desk to stretch freely in the center of the small room.

"I'm not a child anymore Lucy. This is worse than back then. Laxus cant find her this time." He was done talking now, she could tell with the way he held his posture. Natsu wasn't one to open up and maul things over with another person. This being a rare occurrence for him, she didn't want to push him farther, in fear he would spin out in his own thoughts and make a rash decision. He was so complex, Lucy found she always struggled with trying to support him the way he deserved. He hated feeling pitied or coddled, the wrong response could push him to months of emotional silence. And she knew for a fact that this morning report was going to do just that.

The meeting went just as awful as Natsu had described. Elfman cried howl's that rivaled hungry dogs, a shaking mess that contradicted his overly pressed masculinity while Laxus stood stoic behind him, a firm hand on his brother-in-law's shoulder. Mira acted just the same, a warm smile pressed to her lips while she gathered a broken Natsu in her arms. Whispering gentle words against his neck while she toyed with his wild hair. Lucy watched her partner deplete at her side, the lights dulling from his onyx orbs with every word that left Mira's subtle pout. This time though, the silver-haired woman couldn't wait for her nightmares to control her grief, and as soon as the grand oak doors closed her away from the office the cry that split the hall rattled Lucy's bones. A sound that knew no happiness and danced only with the dark.

* * *

_I know nothing exciting happens in this chapter and that it's a little muddled and confusing, but it's an important one I promise. I really wanted to build the type of comfortability that Natsu and Lucy share with each other, not that they talk everything through because I can't see Natsu acting that way, but that they would flock to each other as more of a safe space to sit and think.__ The last chapter was supposed to be a traumatizing event for them and certainly not something they would be able to process quickly but will probably be wrapped up in the next chapter as I plan to do another time skip. _

_My idea is to write the time skip is through the perspective of the letters Lucy writes to her mother, this way you won't miss the events of the missing time, but that you'll only know what I want you too right now. _

_And lastly, I have been working on another Nalu fic that I'm just really adoring, that's why the updates for this story slowed so much. Would anybody be interested in reading it now, or should I finish this story before uploading another? Let me know what you think of this chapter too!_

_Thanks everyone for all the views and reviews, It warms my heart that you all enjoy my writing and continue to clock in even with my shotty updates!  
Also a special thanks too **Mihiwera** because that most recent little update comment gave me the motivation to finally finish this chapter._


	6. Four: The Letters To A Ghost

**_Catchastar101_**_ that review almost had me in tears, made me start writing asap lol, lysm, hope you enjoy this chapter just as much!_

_I don't own Fairy Tail. All rights reserved to Hiro Mashima._

* * *

_ALVAREZ SPOTTED_

_Civilian reports confirm the visitation of Alvarez royal court members accompanying their leader through the streets of Stella early yesterday morning (fourth day of summer) while surveying damage caused by a reckless gang of mages. "It haunts me," Emperor Spriggan proclaimed to civilians. "To see such death and carnage hidden just below good citizens feet. Stella has always been a place of holding for some of my most prized memories, I hate to see it fall so far. I promise to lend my authorities to King Heatfila for the pursuit of the unidentified radical 'Salamander'. I have no doubt he remains the leading cause of all this putrid magical destruction." _

_Stella Publications / 788 _

* * *

_**788**_

* * *

_(25th day of summer)_

_Mom,_

_I helped Natsu dig a grave for Lissana today. He was extremely adamant about it even though we were never able to retrieve her body. Not to mention that we already held a service for her weeks ago. He dug it by hand at her favorite lookout, told me he wanted her soul to rest where she would never miss the sun rise or set. The headstone he made her read "An angel who falls may now pass to the home of their gods. A forever sunrise to lighten the lives of the dark." It was beautiful Mama, Natsu worked really hard on it. _

_He didn't sleep in my dorm last night for the first time since we came home. I went by his room to check on him but I heard him crying. In all the years I've known Natsu, I've only seen that once, when we lost her initially. He sounded so sad, It broke my heart. I was too scared to go in so I left him for the night. I really miss her too. _

_Remembering your warm hugs,_

_Lucy._

* * *

_(86th day of summer)_

_Dear Mom,_

_Today was really hard, I miss you._

_It's been two months since I last wrote to you. Natsu went out on his first job since Lissana today. He wouldn't take me with him no matter how much I begged. He's never left me behind before, I know it was only one job, but it still stung. He barely speaks anymore, just follows me around silently. I feel like I'm losing my partner. Gray and Levy say I need to give him time and space, that he likes to grieve alone. I get that Mama, I really do, but he isn't the only one grieving. I feel like he died with her in the mine. I miss him too. _

_He still gave me some of the reward money even though he did the request alone. I wish he wouldn't, it feels like pitty. I don't want his pity, I just want to talk to him like I used too._

_Mira is still having nightmares. I've been sleeping on the terrace by my room. Her crying breaks my heart and I fear it will never heal if I keep listening. _

_This was a bad letter, sorry Mom,_

_Lucy._

* * *

_(43rd day of fall)_

_Mom, _

_I almost destroyed grandmother Anna's book today. The sight of it turns my stomach, and I haven't been able to open it yet. Natsu wouldn't let me ruin it though, he told me if it was gone the whole trip would be worth nothing. He's right, I know. I just want the hurt to stop._

_Fall is here now, I love how the grounds look with all the autumn colors. Though I miss the pink cherry blossoms, they remind me of Natsu's hair, but I think his shade is fading too. He stresses too much. I think you would still like it._

_Love always,_

_Lucy._

* * *

_(58th day of winter)_

_Mama,_

_Today was good. It was Juvia's birthday. The guild held a small party for her, it was perfect considering the mourning mood that's dulled the air. There were smiles and cake, and everybody was laughing again, just like old times, I loved it. Gray asked her to be his girlfriend, finally. I think that's the part she loved the most. They're leaving on a mission that's supposed to take around four months. Knowing her, Juvia will treat every second like an extended honeymoon. She really was ecstatic mama, I wish you could have seen the joy on her face. I think everyone could feel it, I even saw Mira dancing slowly in the corner with her husband Laxus. She hasn't left her room since we told her what happened. I hope she's starting to feel like herself again. It's almost the new year, so maybe things will start to get better for everyone. _

_Natsu didn't show, of course. He hasn't been around much lately. He's always working alone or hiding around the castle where I can't find him, not even at our special clearing in the forest, the one he found me in. That's where he always used to hide. I haven't spoken much more than a sentence to him in weeks. I really miss him. Even with the happiness of today, I feel really alone again. He doesn't stay the night with me anymore. _

_Lucy._

* * *

_(64th day of winter)_

_Dear Mom,_

_Gray and Juvia left on their job this morning. We all went down to the gate to wave them off. Even Natsu showed up, rare but welcomed. Gray is his best friend, and even though they haven't talked much either, I think he's going to miss him._

_I asked Natsu if he wanted to take a job with me. It's been a while and I'm running out of money and I refuse to accept any more of his. I keep having to pick up extra shifts with the infirmary to keep up with my guild fees. He said no. I got mad and stormed off like a child._

_He came to my room later in the night for the first time in months. I thought he was coming to tell me he changed his mind, that he wanted to take a request with me, though it ended up being the exact opposite. He came in yelling, spouting off that he couldn't take me on a job because I couldn't protect myself and he wasn't capable of doing it either. He rambled on for almost an hour, he's never yelled at me before, and mama he was screaming. But I decided I really didn't mind, its the most I've heard him speak in months. It wasn't near as bad as father used to make it. I was just happy to hear his voice again._

_Merry Christmas,_

_Lucy._

* * *

**_789_**

* * *

_(74th day of winter)_

_Mama, _

_He's gone._

_He really did it. He left me alone for real. And god Mama, winter is so cold without him. _

_He visited me last night, I woke to him sitting at the end of my bed. It startled me since he hadn't been back to my room since he came in yelling. He looked so sad, his lips were pressed together like he was scared to speak the words trapped in his head. He crawled up beside me, just sitting there staring as if he could see right through me. He was so close, I could feel the heat of his breath over my nose. His eyes so dark they blended with the night. Eventually, I tried to ask him what was wrong, but he didn't answer, instead, he leaned in closer. He tried to kiss me, but I moved away. I really couldn't believe it, that he would have the audacity to try something like that after months without so much as a word. This visit was my turn to yell. I said things I would have never imagined saying to him, to my favorite person alive. _

_I went to his room later, I felt so bad for how I had spoken to him, I wanted to apologize. When I got there his room was empty, mattress stripped clean and drawers pulled open and bare. I think he was trying to kiss me goodbye. I'm so scared he won't come back Mama. I think he really did die that day in the mine. _

_Lucy._

* * *

_(76th day of spring)_

_Hey Mom, _

_Gray and Juvia came back today, half a month early. They ran into some trouble, a man with metal clawed gloves dipped in some sort of poison. Gray's okay, but Juvia is really sick. He says she hasn't woken for three days. He's really worried about her, I can tell from the way his hands shake. He hasn't left her bedside all day. It's sweet, but it reminded me of Natsu. I miss when he used to spend the night. _

_I haven't heard from him, not even a letter. I hope he's okay._

_Love from your dearest, _

_Lucy._

* * *

_(86th day of spring)_

_Dear Mom, _

_Spring always reminds me of you, I remember how much it was your favorite, even though I always preferred summer. I miss when we strolled the garden together and the only thing to worry about was not fraying my gown or scuffing my shoes._

_Juvia still hasn't woken up yet, and I think Gray is starting to panic. He's going on lots of jobs, says he can't stay on the grounds too long or he starts to worry about her. __I offered to be his new 'in-term' partner while he waits for her to get better. I really need to make some more money, and I don't think Natsu is coming back anytime soon. _

_We leave tomorrow morning and I'm kind of excited, I've never been on a job without Natsu before. I think it'll be a good chance to prove myself. I just hope this doesn't make me miss him any more than I already do._

_Love,_

_Lucy._

* * *

_(32nd day of summer)_

_Mama, _

_Working with Gray has been really nice. He's actually a lot more kind and sweet then his cold persona would suggest. I think I can see why Juvia likes him so much. Gray listens, he's a good holder of information, a place to vent. He's held me while I cried and talked me through my nonsense brain. Sometime's he even shares his cigarettes with me. He's a really good guy, and I can see how much he loves Juvia. I really hope she wakes up soon, Porlyusica started warning of impairments the longer she's unconscious. _

_I'm glad Gray has been so good to me, it's nice having a friend to talk too again. I know Levy's here too, but she's always busy with guild work. The rest of the members are all amazing and accepting but it's just not the same. I hope he doesn't forget about me, or how close we've gotten when Juvia wakes up._

_I'm really worried about Natsu. Mira says he's never been gone this long without at least a letter. I've been reading as many of Fiore's damage and crime reports as I can get my hands on. I pray that all the flame-related incidents are him. It gives me hope that he's alive. _

_Lucy._

* * *

_(84th day of summer)_

_Hi Mom, _

_It's been a really long time, Summer's almost over now. _

_Please Mama, don't judge me. I think I made a mistake. Gray and I went too far, we slept together. I gave him all my firsts, and I think he gave me some of his. I regret it all, and I can tell he does too. We had an awful day, our mission was a complete failure. We spent the night at some shabby inn, the bed smelled like rot but we honestly didn't care. We both cried after and pretended we couldn't hear one another. Juvia's been in a coma for almost half a year. I think he's trying to process the thought of actually losing her. I swear I could taste sadness on his lips. I think we're both grieving the loss of someone significant. _

_I thought about Natsu the entire time, I could picture all his scars over Gray's skin. I pretended his icy breath smelt of cinnamon and ash. It's been so long, but I still think about him every minute. I wish he had been the first to touch me. I love Gray, I really do, but not like that. My body feels dirty even after scrubbing my skin raw. _

_I can't pick out any damage or crime reports that I could even remotely relate to Natsu, and his mattress doesn't smell like him anymore either. I sleep there every night. If he's with you Mama, please take care of him._

_I love you, so much,_

_Lucy._

* * *

_(49th day of fall)_

_Dear Mom, _

_I asked Gray if he thought I should dig a metaphorical grave for Natsu. He told me I was crazy, said he would know if that 'cocky fire pit went out'. I hope he's right. We don't talk about what happened. Ever. We just pretend it never did. _

_I've been studying telepathy, and I'm getting pretty good. And yes, I learned it from great grandmother's book. I finally opened it. I feel dirty knowing the thoughts of my teammates sometime's so I don't use it often, however, my new favorite trick is dream diving. I do it to Gray when we're out on missions and he's gone to bed for the night. I hope he doesn't feel violated, his dreams aren't very interesting anyway. The only constant is the cold. Don't ask me how somebody dream's in temperatures, he just does. _

_Other time's though, I try to reach Natsu. I'm not really sure how far my range is and I have no reason to believe it could ever reach him. I still try though._

_Lucy._

* * *

_(73rd day of fall)_

_Mama, _

_Juvia woke up. I'm not sure if this is good or bad news. She's unresponsive, constantly staring at the ceiling. Porlyusica says there's a good chance of more function after a few days. But the sight of her, so sunken and lifeless is nothing less than disturbing. It's shattering Gray's heart, and watching it shatters mine. He won't eat, it's been four days. I don't want to lose another friend. This year has been the worst. _

_Job requests are coming in fewer and fewer, all of Fiore is under such a heated eye. Royal guards on every corner, in every continent. It's nerve-racking to hire mages while under constant watch, and nearly impossible for said mages to complete missions unsaved. The streets are war zone's, the anti-magic forces haven't been this strong since the initial banning or the day you died. One day, I want to fix it, this awful divide of man and man. I tell myself your death wasn't for nothing. I hope nobody dies for nothing. Too much of valuable human life is wasted. Humanity is cruel I suppose. _

_Your's truly, _

_Lucy._

* * *

_(50th day of Winter)_

_Mom, _

_A very merry Christmas to you, and to Natsu. I hope he's with you and not lost in the stars. Things have been getting better. Juvia is up and talking, she can even walk around a bit with a sturdy shoulder from Gray. My heart hasn't felt relief like this in far too long, I feel like it could burst. I couldn't help but cry when I saw Gray smile again. All it took was Juvia's mangled stutter of his name. It was such a pure smile, like he had decided to donate his soul to her. I don't blame him, Juvia is an amazing woman. I feel like I stabbed her in the back and I don't think the guilt for my excursion with Gray will ever go away. I wonder if he plans to tell her. I thought about doing it myself, but it feels unfair to confess how another tried to mend their grieving heart. _

_It's almost been an entire year since he left. I don't think I really believe that he's dead but sometime's it's easier to lie about it. Natsu showed me a whole new world, took my hand and cherished me with such open arms. I can deny it all I want, but I know I fell in love with him, his every feature is burned against the inside of my skull. If he really is gone, I won't forget him, but I think I'll be okay eventually. _

_Sending you love filled with holiday warmth,_

_Lucy._

* * *

And done! A pretty short chapter yes, but a whole lot to unpack.

Firstly, Lucy and Gray. It took me a while to decide if I wanted to put this in considering its a pretty big step for certain character development. I hope you don't criticize this choice too much, both characters were feeling alone and vulnerable. They were both in the mindset of losing a loved one and craved a form of intimate connection. Their getting together is actually rather common in friends that have both experienced trauma. I didn't delve into a ton of details about it as I don't think that's the type of thing she would want to reciprocate to her mother.

Secondly, I've done the time stamp for this story according to the number of days in a season. For easy figuring, consider each season to be made up of around 90 days. I hope it's not too confusing!

And thirdly, I hope you all liked the style of writing through Lucy's letters. I figured it would be the best way to explain an entire year's worth of event's within one chapter. It's kind of a sad chapter, all the characters are confused and grieving and I hope I conveyed that lost feeling I was searching for. Hope you all enjoyed this! Until next time bby


End file.
